Fresh Start
by Fallen Ark Angel
Summary: When Auden falls pregnant again, she and Eli get another chance. Will this time turn out for the better? Follows Autumn Leaves.
1. Chapter 1

Fresh Start

Chapter 1

My hatred for shopping is immense. I swear. I hate it with a passion.

"Hello."

I hardly glanced away from spices I was staring at. "Hello."

The woman didn't walk away though, just stood there next to me, even leaving her cart behind as she came over. I looked at her now, but I didn't recognize her. Still, she was sort of creeping me out.

"You're Auden, right? Eli's…?"

"Girlfriend," I told her, glancing at her. "I'm sorry. I don't know-"

"Oh, we've never met, sweetheart," she said, smiling at me. She had such a round, jolly face that the smile on top of it made her look eerie. I just stared at her, waiting for an explanation.

"I know…the Stocks very well," she told me before glancing down at my stomach. I made a face, not yet comfortable with the fact that I was showing. "I haven't spoke with Karen in awhile, but the last time I did, she spoke highly of you."

I just looked at her, not knowing what to say. I was awkward in conversations with people I actually liked. I didn't even know this woman!

"Well…I have to get back to shopping," I said, turning my attention back to the spices before me. "Karen wanted me to get some stuff for some pie she's making or something. I just don't know-"

"What kind of pie is it?"

I looked to her again. "Uh, apple, maybe? I dunno. Cherry. Chocolate. It might have been cake…"

"Well, if it's a pie, Karen likes a lot of cinnamon and nutmeg. Not to mention allspice. And some brown sugar wouldn't hurt."

I smiled at her then, some tension subsiding. "Thank you. I didn't catch your name though."

"Lucille Jackson," she said, smiling at me again. She looked a little bit younger than Karen, but not by much. Her hair was styled better though, with highlights and such. Plus she was wearing makeup. That was probably it. "It was nice meeting you…Auden."

"You too," I said, turning to grab the spices she suggested. "And thanks again."

"No problem."

After she disappeared down another aisle, I let out a long sigh before resting my hand briefly on my stomach. I don't know why that woman made me feel so edgy, but she did. I mean, a lot of people know the Stocks, many of which I don't know. And on occasion, they do speak to me, if only because they know my affiliation with the Stocks. That's what I get for shopping in Colby, I suppose.

When I got to the Stock house sometime later, I just grabbed my few grocery bags filled with the things Karen had requested before walking up to the door. Not even thinking of knocking, I walked right in. I could see Karen and Joseph in the kitchen together and immediately headed in there.

"Joey, stop. I have to finish this."

He was standing behind her at the counter, an arm slung around her. He smiled when he saw me come in. Karen just seized the moment and escaped his grasp.

"Back so soon, Auden?"

"Yes," I said, going to set the bags down on some empty counter space. "I think I got everything."

"Hopes so," Joseph told me, still grinning. "'cause if you forgot anything, she'll make me go back to get it."

"You should have been the one to go in the first place," Karen told him, riffling through the bags.

"I was sleeping."

"Yes, I know."

"It's my birthday tomorrow, Karen," he pointed out. "So maybe you should stop being so mean to me."

"And who's the one having to make all of the desserts for this party?"

"The one who offered and also wanted a party. I didn't. I just wanted to go out to dinner with you, get rid of all the kids for the night, and then come back here. Alone."

"Well, Joseph, too bad."

He laughed at her then before winking over at me. If there was one thing that Joseph loved, it was getting under his wife's skin. Pressing a kiss against the back of her head, Joseph headed over to the kitchen table, knowing that Karen would not want his help cooking. She never did.

"I saw someone that said they knew you when I was at the store."

"Mmmm." Karen hardly looked at me, pulling the ingredients from the bags.

"I'd forgotten what spices you needed and she helped me figure it out."

"Who did you say it was again?" She glanced at me.

"Lucille Jackson."

Both she and Joseph were silent for a moment. Then, sighing, he said, "Auden-"

"That was Abe's mother, dear," Karen told me as she went back to what she had been messing with on the stove.

"O-Oh. I didn't-"

"I haven't spoken to her in… How long has it been, Joey?" She didn't look at him either.

"Maybe a year or more," he told her.

"What else did she say to you, Auden?" Karen asked me.

"Nothing really."

"It's best just to avoid her, I've found."

"Karen-"

"What, Joey? She was very rude to me that last time. And then that birthday party she has for…Abe every year." She shivered. "I told Eli not to go this year. How can you ever move on if you-"

"Karen, you know as well as I do that if things had been reversed that night-"

"They weren't, Joseph. She can't raise the dead."

"We've never lost a child though, so perhaps we shouldn't judge."

"I'm not judging," she told him.

"I know."

"You just-"

The front door opening and closing stopped the argument. We were quickly joined in the kitchen Vinny and his father.

"Granny, I- Auden! You're here." He rushed to hug me. "It's Friday."

"I know."

"We're learning our days in school. I already knew 'em all so I gotta sticker." He held out his hand to me, showing it off. "Are you here for Grandpa's birthday party tomorrow?"

Not really. I had the weekend off and planned on spending sometime with Eli. "Yeah, sure."

"My party was better," Vinny said then, glancing at his grandfather. "'member?"

"Do we remember, Karen, when we had all of Vinny's class over for a party?"

"And Ralph, dear, if I remember correctly."

"He tried to eat our cat," Joseph agreed which caused his grandson to giggle. Steven just shook his head, going over to the fridge to pull out a soda.

"Where's Jake?" Steven asked as he went to kiss his mother's cheek.

"At work. Eli too."

"Mmmm." With that, he left the room. Vinny quickly rushed over to his grandfather, taking a seat at the table as well.

"You see my sticker, Grandpa?" He held it out to him.

"I see."

"You want to hear me say the weekdays. I know 'em all, even without the song."

"N-"

"Let's hear them, boy," Joseph said, cutting off his wife. "And then you can try telling them to me backwards, huh?"

Sighing, Karen looked to me. I had come over right after I got into Colby, as Eli had been over there. He quickly left for work though, promising me that he'd be off at seven so we could go out to dinner. Then tomorrow, we got to spend the whole day with his family for his father's birthday. I swear, if I ever completely make up with my own family, I am going to make him spend this much time with them. Unlikely, but still a damn good threat.

"There's nothing else I need, Auden. Unless you wanted to help bake? If not, you can go if you want. Or-"

"Auden, you can stay and play with me!" Vinny was apparently done with the whole weekdays thing. "We can play with my toys. Come on."

"Vinny," Karen scolded gently. "You should ask if someone wants to play with you. Not demand they do."

Frowning at her, he jumped up and ran over to me. "Auden, do you wanna play superheroes with me? I'll let you be…mmm…maybe Batman. Not my favorite Batman though. Or maybe my Spiderman without the arm. Jordan broke it once. Yeah, you use do that one. I'll be everyone else. Okay?"

I just smiled at him. "Okay."

"See, Granny? Auden's not mean as you."

"Vinny-"

"Don't call your grandmother mean, boy," Joseph told him as his wife glared at their grandson. "Unless you really want to get her that way."

"Joseph, knock it off."

He smiled, his plan successful as Vinny made his escape, pulling me along with him. I followed him, knowing the only thing that would await me alone at Eli's apartment was sleep. I also knew though that Vinny and my play would more than likely end with him in a cranky mood. After all, most everything he did ended that way.

When we got to Eli's old bedroom, Vinny shut the door before rushing over to his toy box and starting to pull action figures out. I just took a seat on the bed, looking around. Most of the posters that Eli had up when he was a kid were still there, along with stacks of old videogames. Slowly though, Vinny had taken over along with all of his stuffed animals and other belongings.

"Look, Auden," he said, pointing at one of the stuffed animals sitting up on the bed with me. "That's the doggie you got me for my birthday."

"I know. Sparky, right?"

"Yep. That's what I named 'im. I sleep with 'im up on my bed. He ain't my favorite or nothin' though."

"I'm sure."

He bounced around, setting certain action figures in specific places. I'd played with him before. Vinny liked to reenact things more than just play. We'd get to playing eventually though. And even then, he really just dictated what I was able to say or do. I think this stemmed from the fact his older brother Jordan was in control of their play; with me though, Vinny was the one behind the wheel.

"Come on, Auden," he said once he had prepared everything. "Get down here so we can play." Then, remembering what his grandmother had said probably, he added on, "Please?"

Smiling, I got down on the ground with him. "Of course."

That was where Eli found me sometime later, down on the ground playing with his nephew. He just stood in the doorway to the room for a moment, smiling, before coming closer.

"What are you guys-"

"Shhh, Eli! Auden don't wanna play with you. She wants to play with me. Go away. Go-"

"Knock it off," he said, as he went over to me, careful not to step on any of the toys. "How you feeling, baby?"

"Alright," I said as he reached down to help me up. I just shook my head. "I'm going to finish playing with him."

"Thought you wanted to go to dinner?"

"I do. It's not like you have to make reservations at Last Chance, Eli."

"Touché," he said, nodding. "But maybe we're not going to Last Chance."

"You know we don't have money for anywhere else."

"No where special, Aud. And no reservations. Just not Last Chance."

"Can I go in this?"

"Ha. Trick question. Not falling for it." He stepped around me now, going to lay down on his old bed. Vinny glared at him, but I quickly distracted him with his toys and all was well again.

When it was time for Eli and I to go, Vinny threw a fit as expected. He wanted me to stay and play with him. I tried to calm him down, but his father heard him crying from the other room and took over. I wanted to stay and make sure that he was okay, but Eli insisted that we leave, so I went with him.

"You up for Italian?" Eli asked. "I was going to take you to a place three towns over. Brooke and her boyfriend suggested it. I didn't know though if the baby would-"

"I think that sounds fine," I said as he got into the truck with me. "Great, actually."

"Cool." He smiled at me, probably just happy that we weren't fighting for once. Because it was March now and since we found out I was pregnant, we'd had some huge ones. "I figured you just get bored of the places down here that we always eat at."

"Too much seafood."

"We live on the coast."

"I know."

He looked up at his visor. Clayton's ultrasound was still up there, but it was covered over by our new baby's one. That had been a fight too. I wanted to throw it away, but Eli refused. We compromised by covering it up with the other one. That way he knows it's still there and I don't have to have a constant reminder every time I get in the truck.

"I saw someone today when I went to the store for your mom."

"She sent you to the store?"

"Not the point."

"Sorry. Continue."

"I was trying to figure out what spices your mother wanted me to get when this woman came up to me. She was real nice."

"Uh-huh." He was pulling out of the driveway now, no longer concerned. I'm sure he thought I was about to tell him about some Colby local that he couldn't care less about.

"She just asked about your parents and stuff. And my pregnancy."

"Uh-huh."

"I didn't know her, but your mother told me she was, um, Abe's mother."

He glanced at me before shifting in his seat. "Oh."

"Yeah."

"Did she…say anything to you?"

"Not really."

"I haven't seen her in awhile," Eli told him softly.

"She seemed nice."

"She is."

"Your mother said-"

"She and Mom never got along. Not even when we were…when Abe and I were kids." He was staring out at the road now to avoid looking at me. "So I doubt she had many nice things to say."

"Your dad kind of got annoyed when she started-"

"Let's just not talk about that, okay?" He reached over and turned up the radio before laying his hand on my thigh. "I just want to listen to the radio for awhile, huh?"

"'kay."

We rode silently for a few minutes. Eli kept one hand on my thigh, but didn't pay attention to me otherwise. I just leaned against the window and shut my eyes. Three towns over meant at least an hour drive, if not more. Besides, I had just finished playing with Vinny for hours. If that didn't qualify me as deserving a nap, I would like to know what would.

"You sleeping over there?"

"Mmmm."

"Sorry in advance."

"'bout?"

"Tomorrow. Dad's party. We won't stay long."

"It's fine."

"Still."

"Your dad doesn't even want a party," I told him. "He sad he just wanted to go out to dinner and then be alone with your mother."

"Ew."

"Eli."

"Dad won't admit it, but he likes having everyone over for parties and stuff."

"Still, he probably would like to be alone in his own house sometimes."

"True enough."

"Do you think we'll be like that?" I asked finally, thoughtful.

"Like what?"

"Still in love even when we're their age?"

"I dunno," Eli sighed. "Are we in love right now? 'cause we're not like that now."

"Karen told me that she and Joseph grew to be that way."

"Maybe. Or maybe we're just completely different from them and show love differently."

"Are you in love with me, Eli?"

"More than I've ever been with anyone else."

"We can only live in the now," I reminded him. "Whatever that entails."

* * *

"Can you feel it? The baby?"

"Can I feel it what?"

"I dunno." Thisbe climbed onto the couch next to me. "Crawling around?"

"The baby doesn't crawl inside me, silly." I patted her head gently. "Why?"

"I's just wonderin'." She patted my stomach gently before looking up into my eyes. "Tomorrow is Mr. Joseph's birthday. Mommy and I bought him a watch."

"A new watch?"

"Uh-huh. Vinny bought him a new car."

"A car?"

"A toy one. With his money from working at the taco place." She giggled then. "He said that Mr. Joseph won't like it much and just give it to him. Vinny's smart."

"I know," I sighed as Eli came into the room wearing only his jeans. "Eli, when are you picking him up anyways? Vinny? Or is it just going to be us tonight?"

"Jake said he'll come over with him later," he told me as he went to turn on his game system. It was the one that that Karen had given Jake for Christmas. In return for allowing it in the house, Eli was now letting Jake sleep on the couch most nights. Only after I agreed of course. Since his Christmas Eve revelation, Jake had been much kinder to me. So much so that we hardly ever spoke. I couldn't tell if it was from remorse, fear, or just respect for the fact I was pregnant. No matter what it was though, I was glad about it.

"I like spending the night with Eli," Thisbe told me as she snuggled into my side. "I love Eli."

"I know you do."

"So do you, huh?"

"Very much."

"I love hotdogs a lot."

"More than hamburgers?"

She nodded. "Yeah."

"I like hamburgers more," I told her.

"Then you're stupid."

"Thisbe."

She just jumped down before going to sit next to Eli. "Can we eat candy tonight?"

"What kinda candy?" he asked, not looking away from his videogame.

"Chocolate candy."

"Ain't got none."

"Oh."

"Sometimes, Eli, Vinny's grammar doesn't shock me," I told him as I pushed off the couch. "Are you thirsty, Thisbe?"

"For chocolate bars."

"You're silly," I told her, going to get a glass of water. "How was school today?"

"Good," she told me. "Vinny got a sticker."

"I've seen it."

"Oh."

"It was nice."

"Yeah."

"The in-depth conversations," Eli muttered. "They slay me. Really."

"Shut up." I pushed his head gently as I came back into the room. "What did we get your dad anyways? For his birthday?"

"Was I supposed to get a present?"

"I told you to."

"Oh. Huh."

"Eli-"

"I'm kidding. God. I got him some alcohol."

"You mean you got yourself some alcohol."

"No, that's not what I mean. I've been sober for three days now, Auden. Only been drinking beer for two weeks before that. I told you. Changed man."

"Sure," I said, rolling my eyes.

"You have to start somewhere."

"I know."

"Eli, play with me!" Thisbe nuzzled into his side. "Please?"

"No. Go away."

"I wish Vinny was here."

"Yeah," Eli sighed. "Me too."

I left out adding in a 'Me three' only because I knew that soon, Vinny would show up. And as always, it would end badly. Everything with Vinny ended badly. Everything.

"My stomach hurts," I announced then. "I'm going to go lay down. Okay, El?"

"Sure," he mumbled, staring at his game.

"You can watch the kids alone? When Vinny gets here?"

"Yeah."

"Okay." I smiled at my sister then. "Do you want to go lay down with me?"

"Ew, gross. Sleep is for babies."

Alright then. Shaking my head, I headed to Eli's bedroom. I wasn't in bed long before I fell asleep. I hadn't felt well since we got back into Colby and really just wanted to sleep it off. I was sure Vinny and Thisbe would go to bed not soon after the little boy arrived and then Eli could just play his game the whole night and leave me alone. It was a win-win for everyone.

Or so I thought.

I felt it hit the side of my face. Then I felt another. Turns out I opened my eyes at just the right moment to see another one coming at me, swiftly moving out of the way.

"Vinny!"

He just shot another toy dart at my face. "Daddy got me a Nerf gun."

"You almost hit me in the eye," I hissed at him in the dark. He was standing at my bedside, his gun pointed right at me. "What are you doing in here?"

"Uncle Eli and Jake bought pizza. And candy. And ice cream. Are you hungry?"

I looked passed his head, shocked to find that it was now well passed midnight. Where had the time gone? I'd been asleep for hours now.

"Don't you and Thisbe need to go to bed soon?"

He frowned at me, the moonlight highlighting his features as it shone through the window. "We're not babies. Eli and Jake said we could stay up all night. We ain't gots anything to do tomorrow 'cept for Grandpa's birthday party."

"Ice cream though? And pizza?" Eli was drunk. There was no way he'd decided this sober. And more than likely, Jake was drunk too. That meant I had to be up, considering we had two small children with us. Sober for three days my ass.

"What's going on in here?" I asked as I marched Vinny back to the living room, shocked to find that it wasn't just Jake and Eli, but rather Wallace, Clyde, and two other young guys from the shop that I didn't know well. Oh, and Brooke. Yeah. "Eli-"

"Vinny," he complained when he turned to look at us. "I told you not to wake her up."

"That's 'cause you're a bad person," the little boy told him as he went over to the box of pizza and pulled out another slice. The guys were all on the ground, staring at the television as Jake played some intense looking war game, a controller also in Wallace's hand. Brooke was just seat on the couch, braiding Thisbe's hair. My sister waved at me, but I just shook my head.

"Eli-"

"Auden-"

"Three days?"

He groaned, getting up to come over to me. He didn't' stumble or anything like that, but it was obvious that he was drunk. I just knew. David, a guy hardly older than Jake, was most drunk. He was passed out on the floor, a beer bottle in his hand. He was still conscious enough to make a noise though, knowing Eli was in trouble. Brooke was looking at us, but I ignored her as Eli made it over to me, laying a hand on my arm.

"Come here."

"I'm going to kill you."

"I know," he told me, pulling me further down the hall to our bedroom. "Jake showed up with Wallace and-"

"The kids are here, Eli."

"I know. We're just drinking. And Clyde's not, if it makes you feel better."

"It doesn't."

He closed our bedroom door behind me. "It just happened. You were sleeping. I didn't think Vinny would wake you up. Besides, Auden, it's not like we're smoking or something. Just beer. Only beer. The kids are fine."

"You said-"

"What do you want me to do? Make them all go home?"

I just stared at him.

"Oh, God, you do, don't you?"

"Yes, Eli, I do."

"Well, I'm not going to," he said, glaring at me now. "Go back to bed. We were fine without you."

"Forget it, Eli." I went to slip on my shoes before heading out of the room. When I made it to the living room, I went and grabbed Vinny's hand before telling Thisbe to come on. "Come put on your shoes, Thisbe. And take your Nerf gun, Vinny. We're leaving."

"Auden, don't be like that," Jake said, glancing at me now. "Have a be…oh yeah. Never mind."

"Seriously, you're overreacting," Brooke told me as she moved to fish a ciggeratte out of her pocket. "You-"

"No smoking in the apartment," I told her simply as Thisbe and Vinny rushed the door, clearly thinking I was taking them on some kind of adventure. "And the day my life becomes your business is the day I'll commit suicide."

"I'll keep my fingers crossed."

It wasn't until we were in my car that the two kids asked me where we were going. I told them that it was a surprise, mainly because I wasn't sure. I knew Heidi would be up, as it wasn't that late yet, but I didn't really feel like going to her house. I was hoping the Stocks would be up. It wasn't until I was driving passed their house that I found out they were. Or at least one of them was.

"Hey. What's going on?"

I sighed as I got out of the car, Steven just having pulled up in his truck. "Your brothers decided to bring their drunk friends over and play videogames. Take Vinny back."

He got out of his own truck as his son rushed out of the car. "What were they doing, Auden?"

"Just drinking. Being stupid. And the kids had nowhere to sleep."

Thisbe waved at Steven through the car window, but I wouldn't let her get out, knowing that she'd want to stay at the Stocks if she did.

"Auden wouldn't let us party, Daddy," Vinny told him. "I sniped her with my Nerf gun though."

Steven just lifted his son up with one arm before waving at Thisbe. Then, glancing at me, he said, "Knew sober stuff wouldn't last."

"Yeah," I sighed as I got back into the car. "So did I."

Knowing that Karen and Joseph were probably in bed, I went ahead and took Thisbe home, back to her mother's. She was up like I figured, but with a guest. I had sent her a text though and she was waiting for us when I knocked on the door.

"Hi, Mommy." Thisbe bounced slightly as she came into the house. "Hi, Heath."

The man was sitting on the couch, giving the girl a slight wave. I looked at Heidi, but she just shook her head at me, not wanting me to say anything.

"Come in, Auden. Are you staying too?" she asked as Thisbe rushed over to the couch, climbing up on it to sit next to the man. Heath smiled at her, but she just giggled.

"No. I just needed to drop them off. Eli…"

"Yeah, I know." She smiled at me. "Go to bed. Or stay here and go to bed."

"I'm fine, really. I'll see you tomorrow, I guess, at Joseph's party."

"Ugh," she groaned. "I forgot about that. Until then."

When I left Heidi's, I really had nowhere to go. The only people in Colby I knew were the Stocks and her. So I had no choice, but to go back home. No, not home. Eli's apartment. At the moment, they were not synonymous.

"Auden's back," Jake announced enthusiastically when I arrived. When he saw the look on my face, he elbowed Wallace. "Why did you do that?"

"Don't hit me."

Ignoring all of them, I quickly moved through the living room and back to the bedroom. Eli didn't even look at me. He was the one playing the game now and clearly didn't care about me. At the moment, I mean. Sort of.

When I got into the bedroom, I immediately got into bed, cuddling under the blankets. Some of Vinny's darts were in bed with me, but I just ignored them as I shut my eyes tightly, wishing I could just fall asleep and never wake up.

"Aud?"

I had accomplished my goal for the most part at that point. And by that I meant I had fallen asleep. The never wake up didn't go as planned though.

"Mmmm?"

"I brought you some pizza," he mumbled as he climbed into bed with me. "And a candy bar. Snickers. You like those, huh?"

"Fuck off."

"Aud," he groaned as he settled on the bed. "Everyone went home."

"Yeah, hours after I told you to send them home. What is it? Four in the morning?"

"Little later."

I shook my head as I opened my eyes. "I'm so mad at you right now."

"But I love you." He held out the plate with the pizza on it. "Here. Let me feed you."

"Eli-"

"What do you want me to do? Huh?"

"I wanted-"

"Not what you wanted. What you want now."

"I want you to leave me alone."

"Fine. I'll eat alone."

I turned on my other side then, facing away from him. Eli just laid there in bed, eating the pizza and the candy bar before passing out, snoring loudly. I just sighed, lying next to him, finding sleep hard then.

"Love you, Eli," I whispered into the darkness, stroking my stomach softly. I knew he was asleep and didn't hear me, but it helped me drift off, if only a little.

* * *

"I feel fat."

Eli just downed his glass of water with his aspirin. "Knock it off."

"You shut up. If you're not agreeing with exactly what I'm saying today, don't speak to me."

"You just spoke to me."

"Shut up, Eli. I mean it."

"Whatever."

We were standing in the kitchen, me trying to find something to eat for breakfast, him still waking up. Coffee didn't seem to be helping him much this morning.

"That's your mother," I said when his phone vibrated in his pocket. "She called you while you were in the shower. I answered, but she specifically wanted to talk you."

He just grunted, pulling the cell out before heading out of the kitchen and back to the bedroom. Rolling my eyes, I went back to trying to decide on my breakfast. I settled on just eating some toast, as part of the problem of figuring out what I was going to eat relied on what the baby wouldn't throw up. The first time I was pregnant, I hardly ever got sick. This time around, it felt like everything set this baby off. I was taking every difference from last time as a good sign.

"Mom wants us over there in an hour or so," Eli told me as he came back into the kitchen. "So did you decide what we're eating or-"

"I'm just eating toast," I told him, staring at the toaster while waiting.

"Babe, you've got to-"

"Stop calling me that."

"You need to eat something, Auden."

"Toast."

"You hardly ate at dinner, then you wouldn't eat that pizza-"

"I'll eat today, Eli, over at your parents. Cake and stuff." When my toast popped up, I said, "We can go now. To your parents. What are we doing over there so early anyways?"

"I gotta help Dad with some stuff. Vinny and Thisbe are both already over there though and want you."

"Of course they do."

"You feeling okay this morning?"

"Considering I'm still extremely angry with you?"

"Anger's not good for the baby."

"You're not good for the baby."

Cutting his eyes at me, he said, "You wanna go now? Fine. Let's go. Hurry up."

It was a silent ride over to his parents' house. Whatever chemistry we had going before dinner the night before was beyond dead. And something told me it wouldn't be resurrected anytime soon.

"Hi, Auden."

I smiled at the kids as Eli and I came into the house. Isby and Vinny had some of his Hot Wheels out, playing with them all over the living room floor. Usually they would play with them in the kitchen, but I could see Karen cooking something in there and knew she no doubt had told them to stay out.

"Hi," I greeted, going over to Vinny. "You left these over at Eli's last night."

"Thanks." He took the darts from me, smiling. "All of Grandpa and Grandma's friends are coming over. We have to behave or stay inside all day. I think I'mma go ahead and stay inside."

"No," I said slowly, smiling at him as his hair fell into his eyes. "You're going to go out there and behave. And when you feel like acting bad, you're going to come tell me, and I'm going to make sure you don't."

"How are ya gonna do that?" he asked, frowning at me slightly.

"Well, what would you hate for me to do in front of everyone at the party?"

"Mmmm…I dunno."

"Kiss him," Thisbe said, glaring at me. "Give him cooties. Then no one will play with him."

"Shut up, Thisbe!" He moved to throw a dart at her, but I grabbed his hand, stopping him.

"Do you want me to kiss you?"

"No!" He jerked away from me, frowning.

"Then you better behave."

Grumbling, he turned back to his toys. "Fine."

Eli, who had gone off to find his father, came out of the hallway with the man. Joseph greeted me, but Eli just continued into the kitchen to tell his mother hello.

"Happy birthday," Thisbe told him.

"You already told me that, silly," Joseph told her, smiling.

"I know," she said. "I'mma tell you every time I see you. Duh."

"Duh," he repeated back to her, giving both her and Vinny a pat on the head before going into the kitchen as well.

"Are you gonna play with us, Auden?" Thisbe asked as I sat down.

"If you want."

"We're playing cars," Vinny told me though he still wouldn't look at me. "My cars are the fastest ever."

"Ever?"

"Ever."

"Mmmm."

Thisbe rolled her eyes, but didn't get a chance to correct him as Karen stuck her head into the living room.

"Auden? Can I see you for a moment?"

"No, Granny. She's playing with us," Vinny challenged. "Huh, Auden?"

"Vinny," she hissed at him, frowning. "You knock if off before I send you away right now. Huh? You want to go to work?"

"Yes," he said, nodding. "I don't want to be here for the party. I-"

"Behave." I gave him a very pointed look. "Unless you want me to-"

"Fine!" He went back to his cars, shaking his head. "Fine."

After patting him on the head, I got up to find out what it was Karen wanted. She was back over at the counter when I came into the room, frosting a cake.

"I wanted to apologize for Jake last night," Karen told me, focused on the cake. "I was told that it was him who decided to-"

"It really wasn't that big of a deal," I told her. "I just wanted to take the kids home. I didn't think they should-"

"Jake needs to come back home. Staying Eli will not work out and it's more obvious now than ever. I was told that Eli hadn't been drinking recently-"

"Three days," I said dryly. "He had only gone three days."

"Four days, had Jake not shown up."

I shrugged. "I don't have much faith in him anyways."

"And that, my dear, will be the excuse he uses every time he fails." She smiled at me then. "Don't let on, even if it's true. Do you really think I believed in everything Joseph did? Because I didn't. But I told him I did. Because that gave him a boost."

"Where are they anyways? I thought they were in the kitchen."

She shook her head before nodding at the backdoor. "Out there. Setting up, I would assume. Putting up tables and chairs."

"You guys sure like parties."

Karen shrugged. "It gives you something to do, in a small town. A chance to see everyone."

"Great."

"Oh, Auden, you'll have t get used to it eventually."

"Get used to what?"

"To the fact that when you're here, in Colby, everyone's going to know you. Even when you don't know them." She smiled then. "I supposed that's how Joey and I were so lucky. We'd both grown up here. We weren't expecting any different."

I looked at the cake for a moment before back up at her. "Did your parents sill live here when you two came back?"

"Oh, yes. Of course. Joseph's mother and stepfather didn't leave until they retired. And mine stayed longer. Until they couldn't...care for themselves anymore. Then they went to live with my older brother until Mom died. Then Dad went to the home." She shook her head. "It would have been easier had they come to stay with Joey and I, of course, but it just wasn't…convenient. Joseph and my father didn't…and we still had the kids then. Jake and Eli."

I didn't know what to say then, so I just stood there, waiting for her to speak again.

"It was hard though, having them both in town with us. My mother especially." She shook her head slightly. "Mom would come over constantly. And if Joseph's mother was over at the same time, there was sure to be a fight. I don't know who she hates more, Joey's mother, my mom or me."

"I've never really been around her. Just that party last summer and that wedding that once. I think."

Karen nodded. "Consider yourself lucky. Koda's first wife was a horrible woman. Cheated on him, killed his bank account, never was very nice to any of us. Still, she was on a pedestal compared to me."

"I don't get it."

"I'm sure I've told you before that Joey's brothers and mine never got along."

"Yeah, but wouldn't you get over that eventually?"

"Some would. Others wouldn't. You've never met Joey's half-brothers. I don't mind Koda, but them? Them I don't like. Or his step brother. And all of his sisters are just-" She shivered. "He doesn't care much for my two brothers either, so I suppose we're even."

"Does he have that many siblings?"

"His father and mother only have him and his brother Koda together, but then his real father went on to have a few other children. Two daughters. His mother and stepfather have three boys together, two girls. Then his stepfather had a son from his first marriage as well as a daughter from his second. Joey's mother was his last marriage."

"And they're all…close in age?"

"No." Karen shook her head. "And I've never been a big fan of having kids with multiple…partners anyways."

I was pretty sure Karen wasn't even comfortable with the idea of having multiple partners. Still, I didn't voice this, not wanting to make her angry with me. Or finding out that information. Ever. Because the idea of Joseph and Karen together to begin with was…so yeah, wasn't volleying up my interest in that.

"Don't tell Joey we spoke about this," she told me then as she finished icing the cake. "He's still torn up about his father. His mother called him this morning to wish him a happy birthday."

"That's weird to me," I said. "We're not birthday people."

"No offence, dear, but your mother doesn't even call you on national holidays."

I blinked, but knew she had a point. "We just aren't as…close as you guys, I guess."

"No, Joey's family is weird," she told me. "Loving, I guess. You'd think with him having so many siblings it would be a constant battle between different people. And maybe its that way for some of them, but Joseph loves all of his brothers and sisters. His father's children, his mother's, his stepfather's. He's just loveable." She giggled, a capability that always shocked me. Karen giggling disturbed me every time it happened. It only ever happened when she was talking about her husband though. "That's one thing that got to his mother. She told me so. That he was so kind and I was so…cold. Especially to him."

I looked at he. "You were mean to him?"

"Distant at times. Especially in the beginning." She shrugged. "You know Joseph. He needs to please. The more displeased I seemed, the more he wanted to please me. The more elaborate the plans he created to please me. And then when he finally did begin to please me, he realized that I would eventually get complacent and began to try even harder to keep me pleased."

"He loves you," I told her.

"Mmmm," she agreed. "We love each other."

* * *

"I'm feeling like being bad."

I just stared at Vinny as he stood in front of me. 'You want a kiss?"

"No."

"Then can you hold off on being bad without it?"

"I think so."

"Good. Because I'm starting to get afraid that you just might give _me_ cooties."

"No," Vinny insisted, shaking his head.

"I think so."

"No, I wouldn't."

"Hmmm."

I was sitting down on the font porch steps, watching the children play in the front yard. They had been sent out there to play while the adults conversed in the backyard. Most of the kids in the neighborhood were over, riding bikes and skateboards or playing with the basketball goal across the street. I knew I should really be back in the backyard with the adults, but I found I liked children more. Sue me.

"Thisbe don't wanna play with me right now," Vinny told me as he sat down next to me. "She's playin' with her other friends. But I don't care. 'cause I don't need nobody."

"What about me?"

"I don't need you, Auden. I want you."

I smiled, reaching over to ruffle his hair. "You want me?"

He nodded before straightening his hair. "To be my friend."

"We'll always be friends, Vinny."

"Promise?"

"To the moon and back."

"To the moon and back," he repeated slowly before giggling. "You say funny stuff, Auden."

"Do I?"

"Mmmhmm."

I paused for a moment before asking, "Vinny, why don't you go play with some of your friends?"

"I don't like none of 'em. They're stupid."

"Why don't you go play basketball with those boys? Or tag? Something?"

"I don't like them. I wanna sit with you. …Or play with Thisbe. But she's playing with the girls. When she's with other girls, she pretends like we're not friends."

"Really?"

"Yeah."

"That's not nice."

"I know."

"Don't you have any other friends?"

"'course I do!" He nodded. "I'm pop'lar."

"I'm sure."

"But ain't none of my friends here. Only Thisbe. And she ain't no fun right now. All her friends call her Caroline and she gets made when I call her Thisbe. It's her name!"

"Vincent is your name, but I call you Vinny."

"That's different."

"Why?"

"'cause it's me."

Of course.

"How come you ain't playin' in the backyard with your friends?"

"Those aren't my friends."

"They're Granny and Grandpa's friends."

"Exactly."

"You're old. Don't old people gots all the same friends?"

"No."

"Oh."

"And I'm not old."

"You are old." He patted my stomach. "Now that you're gonna have a baby."

"I am," I told him. "Are you happy for me?"

"I guess so." He looked up at me, staring at me from under his too long hair. "Can I ask you somethin'? And not get in trouble?"

I knew what was next. "Of course, Vinny."

"Is the baby gonna be the other baby? From 'fore?"

"No," I told him simply, staring him in the eyes to let him know it was okay. "It won't be."

"I'm sorry."

I smiled morosely as he leaned his head against my side. "Me too."

Vinny stayed with me awhile before getting up to go find someone to actually play with him. It was about that time that Eli came and got me, claiming it would look bad if we weren't seen together. When I asked by who he simply told me his parents. I was pretty sure they both knew I was pissed at him though.

"You hungry, baby?" Eli asked me as we walked into the backyard. When I shook my head no, he frowned. "You told me you'd eat something."

"Maybe just a cupcake," I said, snagging one off a table as we passed it. "You wanna bite?"

He shook his head before glancing around at the people milling around his parents backyard. My eyes immediately fell on his mother, who was in her element with her own friends, no doubt gossiping. It was evident from the way they were laughing and smiling, as devious as high school girls. At least it meant she wouldn't hang around me though, I suppose. I feel like the two of us spend too much time together.

"Dad grilled burgers if you want some," Eli told me.

"Just this cupcake is fine."

"Aud, you're killing me."

"I've been eating, Eli. Honest. Just not today." I took a bite of my cupcake. "This is really good."

He nodded. "The Norwoods brought them."

"…I don't know-"

"Belissa's parents."

"Oh."

"She's not here though, so you don't have to worry."

"Like I was worried."

"You should be. I'm in high demand."

"High demand or just high?"

My neck got a kiss as he wrapped an arm around my shoulders. "What were you doing out front anyways?"

"I was talking to Vinny. He doesn't get along well with the other kids or so he was telling me."

"He doesn't," Eli agreed.

"Apparently, Thisbe's not too nice to him when they're with other people."

"It happens."

"If the roles were reversed, would you be saying that?"

"They're not, so it doesn't matter."

"Hmmm." I looked around again, frowning. "Where are your brothers?"

"Steven's at work and Jake is…" Eli frowned, looking around as well. "I dunno. He was- Oof."

Eli suddenly lurched forward, pulling me along with him. He wasn't able to help but to fall forwards, me hitting the ground right along with him.

"What the hell?"

Jake, who had tackled him, just stared down at us. "That's what you guys get for-"

"No."

I turned my head to see Karen making her way over. She just stood there for a moment, glaring at all three of us before saying, "No, not here. I've put up with it at the last, what, five parties? Not this one. I am not having the three of you-"

"I didn't even do anything," Eli grumbled as he looked at me. "I'm sober. Jake's the one who-"

"That hurt, Jake," I complained as I started to stand up. Karen was quickly to grasp one of my hands and help me. I wasn't that pregnant by any account, but I think she was just being nice. "You do realize that I'm pregnant, right?"

Eli glared his brother. "I should fucking-"

"Did you not hear me just say no?" Karen looked at both her sons for a long moment before saying, "Jake, go away."

"What?"

"Leave. Take whatever you want and then leave."

"I want Eli's life!"

Groaning, Karen let go of my hand as she turned to walk away. She stopped though when she saw her husband coming to join us.

"What's wrong?" he asked as Jake glowered down at Eli who still hadn't stood. "Karen?"

"Make Jake leave. He's not welcome. Don't make a scene of it, but-"

"That's not fair, Mom! You don't even know what Eli and Auden did."

"I don't even know what we did," Eli mumbled.

"When you kicked me out yesterday, Eli, I-"

"I really don't care," Joseph said bluntly, not amused with his youngest son. I swear, it's like he hates Jake. He's never particularly kind to him. "Leave, Jake. Now."

"Dad-"

"Do I need to escort you? Or better yet, walk him out, Eli."

"Me? He just attacked me and Auden." Eli stood finally, still glaring at his brother. "And by the way, Jake, if you knock my pregnant girlfriend to the ground again, it won't be nice for you."

"I wasn't trying to attack Auden," Jake defended. "She wasn't the one-"

"Both of you. Go. Eli, drive him home. You can come back if you want."

"Whatever," Eli said, moving to grab my hand. "Come on, A-"

"Auden stays," Karen told him. "You and Jake need to work this one out on your own."

"Fine, but when he tries to murder me-"

"And I will. Because I hate him."

"-then my blood will be on your hands," Eli warned before looking at his brother. "Come on, idiot."

"I'm not an idiot."

Joseph walked with the out to the front yard, no doubt making sure they didn't go fight in front of the children. Karen just stood there watching them for a moment, before looking at me.

"I feel like I haven't seen you all afternoon, Auden," she said, leading me back over to her friends. I was running through my mind all of the plausible ways for me to get away, but none seemed to form completely. "Where were you?"

"In the front yard with-"

"The kids," she finished, shaking her head at me. "You know, Auden, eventually you're going to have to get used to adults."

"Yeah," I sighed as we made it back to her group of friends. "I know."

"Are you alright?"

That was the first thing anyone said and it was directed at me. I just stared at the woman who said it, trying to remember her name. She was a heavyset woman with a really bad highlight job. I just nodded, knowing I'd never come up with a name no matter how hard I tried.

"She's fine. The boys were just playing a tad too rough," Karen said, rolling her eyes. "You know how Jake is."

The only woman I recognized enough to know her name in Karen's group of friends was Janice. She was sipping a diet soda while eying me. I just looked back at her, more shocked at the fact Karen had invited her. This was Joseph's birthday. I doubt he was happy about it.

"You getting far along now, dear?" Janice asked me. The woman next to her made a face, but she just stare at me.

"Not that far," I said, self-consciously as I wrapped my arms around myself. See? This is why I'd rather be around the children. "I'm only-"

"And you're still doing the college thing?" the woman went on. "My, my."

"Help you to reminisce, Karen? About medical school and having Steven?" The shortest of all the women, even shorter than Karen, giggled. I'd never seen her before, but she seemed to be Karen's age. And she knew enough about her. "Only you were married."

"Not all of us can be as holy as Mrs. Stock," one of her other friends mocked, only to get elbowed by Janice. "What?"

"That would imply that the girl isn't holy."

"'Well, she's not," she said before looking at me. "I'm sorry, sweetie, just telling the truth."

"Knock it off," Karen told her simply before glancing back at the open gate, no doubt wishing Eli would come back. Me meeting her friends was clearly not turning out so well.

"Well, it is unholy, Karen," the woman insisted. "And you're the one that told me she wasn't religious anyways. You aren't, are you, sweetie?"

I hated that she was calling me sweetie, but I couldn't get on her for not knowing my name as I didn't know hers. "No, but-"

"Then you're having a bastard," she laughed. I could tell that she'd probably had a little too much to drink just from the way she was acting. Or so I assumed. Still, Karen narrowed her eyes at her, just staring for a moment before speaking.

"You know, Wendy," she began as she lifted a soda off the table behind us and took a sip. "For someone whose son is a homosexual, you sure are pretty judgmental."

I've heard a lot of things before. A lot. But I cannot be the only one who never really heard a gay person referred to as a homosexual. At least not the way Karen said it. She said it like a filthy word and I could tell from the way the other women in her circle acted that they felt the same way. Especially that Wendy woman began to glare right back at Karen.

Typically, this would be the part where I piped up with my highly lax and liberal opinion that would piss Karen off. She had only insulted gays once in front of me, when Eli and I first got together. Even then, I had just informed her that I didn't appreciate what she had said and that was the end of it. Had she not been defending my honor, maybe I would have said something now. But since she was…

"He's young," Wendy defended, frowning. "He's just confused-"

"Young. Thirty's young now?"

"Your son is in his thirties and he'd getting a divorce," she argued.

"From a woman."

Wendy was clearly out on her own on this as none of her friends spoke up to save her. Karen just held her gaze for a long moment, waiting for her to make a comeback. If I was out of place when women my age fought, I was completely out of my element currently.

"Oh, I was joking, Karen," the woman hissed then before heading off, going across the yard to another group of women. Karen just watched her walk away before looking back at the rest of her friends.

"So anyways," Janice began again.

"So anyways," Karen agreed.

I stayed over there with them, just as awkward as before, until I saw Eli come back into the gate. I quickly excused myself before heading over to him.

"Apparently we're having a bastard."

He was at one of the tables, getting a plate of food. "Oh yeah?"

"Yeah."

"Life goes on."

"It does."

"I love my bastard to bits and pieces."

"I'm sure."

"Who said it anyways?" He looked at me then, his face showing that he didn't find it as hilarious as his voice made it sound. "Tell me."

"One of your mom's friends." I shrugged. "I didn't know she was so bad ass."

"Who? Mom?"

"Mmmhmm."

"What'd she do?"

"That woman called our kid a bastard and then Karen brought up her gay son or something."

"Oh. Ms. Brindwell," Eli said, nodding. "Her and Mom get along well. Can't believe Mom said that. Sore spot, her son is."

"Only if you're a bigot."

"Not today, alright?" Eli nodded at his plate. "Want part of my burger, babe?"

"Not really, no."

"You gotta feed the bastard."

"Eli-"

"I'm kidding. My kid ain't a bastard." He looked me in the eyes then. "My kid is my world." When I didn't speak, he added on, "Well, part of it."

"What would be the other part?"

"I'm looking at her."

* * *

"No. You both had a good amount of dessert already."

"One more piece, Grandma?"

"Please, Mrs. Karen?"

"No."

"Grandpa!"

"Mr. Joseph!"

"One more piece of cake," I heard him declare to the kids from the kitchen. "For my birthday."

"That's how come we like Grandpa better," Vinny told her. I looked into the kitchen to see Joseph getting the kids more sweets. They quickly ran into the living room once they had their plates, giggling at the sound of Karen scolding her husband. She came into the living room soon too, though she just had a cup of coffee.

"You kids will thank me one day and curse Joseph," Karen told them as she sat down in her husband's chair. "When you start to get too big for your britches."

"What are bitches?" Thisbe whispered to Vinny.

"Britches, sweetheart," Joseph corrected as he came back into the room. "Don't say that other word anymore. Alright?"

She nodded quickly while Vinny just giggled. Smiling, Karen stood to let her husband sit down in his chair before taking a seat in his lap like usual.

"So was it a good birthday, Joey?" she asked him as he wrapped his arms around her, smiling.

"I've had worse."

"Which would have been?"

"All the ones without you."

Rolling her eyes, she said, "You must really want something tonight."

"I do."

Okay… Looking down now, I smiled at the little black kitten curled up in my lap. I stroked behind the cat's ears, smiling as he meowed sleepily.

"Gambit likes you, Auden," Vinny told me. "Just like me."

Gambit. Vinny had fought tooth and nail with Thisbe to name the damn cat that. In the end, he only won because he had taken to scratching Thisbe whenever she called the cat by another name. Karen immediately told Thisbe that she could name the kitten then, if Vinny was going to act like that, but it was too late. She'd already thrown in the towel.

"I like him too," I assured the little boy even though that wasn't entirely true. The one thing I'd always liked about cats was that they stayed away. Not this kitten. I'm sure when it got older it would become more reclusive, but so far, every time I was over it wanted to sit in my lap. Ugh.

"He's a good kitty," Vinny agreed, going back to his cake. It was then that Eli came into the room. He had been in the bathroom, though I didn't really care to know what. Smiling, he came to sit down next to me on the couch.

"You about ready to go, Aud?" he asked, reaching out to stroke the cat's back.

"Y-"

"You should spend the night too, Auden," Vinny said. "With Thisbe and me."

"What if the two of you come home with us?" I asked then. "And leave your grandparents alone?"

"It's quite alright, Auden. They can stay if they want," Karen told me. Joseph didn't agree though and I could see it from the slight frown on his face. He'd never send his grandchildren away though, as not to hurt their feelings.

"No, we owe them a night, since they had to come back home last night," Eli said, catching on to my endgame. "And no parties this time, guys. Just me, you two, and Auden. Huh?"

"What about Jake?" Thisbe asked.

"No Jake," Eli and I both told her at the same time.

"Besides, I think Jake went over to one of his friends house," Karen said as Joseph kissed her neck, probably excited by the thought of them getting to be alone. "If you two go home with Eli and Auden though you won't get to go to church in the morning."

"Actually, Karebear, I don't really feel like going to church in the morning anyways," Joseph spoke up.

"God just gave you another year of your life and you can't sacrifice a part of your week to him?"

Joseph just groaned, kissing her neck again. "No Sunday school though. Just church."

"Just church," she agreed, smiling at him. "I think you left some clothes over at Eli's from last night, Vinny, so just bring your bag of toys if you'd like."

"Okay, Granny," he said, going back to his cake. "Can we watch TV?"

"Sure," Joseph said, shifting to grab the remote. "I hope you all know what's starting up soon."

"Baseball," Karen said, sighing. "And there goes my husband."

"I've balanced you and baseball for years. Do you get the short end of the stick sometimes? Of course. But you get used to it."

She just took a long sip of her coffee, though I could tell how happy she was from the look on her face. I knew the sooner we all got out of there, the better so they could get on with their night. I knew what I did for Eli's birthday every year and though the thought disgusted me, I was pretty sure Karen and Joseph did something along the same lines. Not exactly, I'd hope, but close enough. At the very least, they'd wish to be alone.

"And we all know who's birthday is after yours," Karen was telling her husband then.

"Uh…Thisbe's."

She elbowed him again. "Jake's dear. It's at the end of March."

"Right," he said slowly. "And then Jordan's in May. Then Thisbe's."

"Then Thisbe's," Karen agreed.

"None of those matter though, Granny, 'cause they ain't my birthday," Vinny told her.

"You're going to have to lose this self importance trait soon, boy," Joseph told him. "It's really annoying."

Vinny just stuck his tongue out at the man while I smiled.

"Good weekend?" Eli mumbled in my ear.

"Good weekend."

* * *

**Ugh. You guys have no idea how hard it is to come up with story titles for these things. So I'll go ahead and admit that yeah, they're getting dumber as we go along, but at least the contents good still, right? **


	2. Chapter 2

Fresh Start

Chapter 2

"So basically you're telling us that you're broke."

"N-"

"Yes, basically."

Joseph sighed, staring at Eli and I for a moment. "How exactly did you lose all your money?"

"Car payment," I told him. "And my hours got cut back at the restaurant. Honestly, though, we don't need mon-"

"Yes, we do," Eli said, speaking right over me. "We need, like, at least forty dollars. Well, I do. Auden's just trying to act like she didn't promise me that she'd help pay for-"

"Oh, I promised? What about what you promised, Eli."

"What did I promise you? Huh?"

"That you'd stop drinking as much."

"I-"

"Go ahead. Tell your mom and dad exactly how you lost all our money."

"It wasn't our money, Auden," he said, frowning at me. "It was mine."

"Oh, bull."

"It is. It's my-"

"Both of you knock it off," Joseph said, frowning at the two of us. "How are you going to come over here, asking for money, and then fight in front of us? Really, you both-"

"Now, Joseph," Karen spoke up, lying a hand on his arm. "You really shouldn't yell at them. It takes a lot of courage to come ask for help."

"We're not asking-"

"Yes, Auden, we are," Eli said, frowning at me before looking back at his mother. "And it's not like we're asking for money, Dad. You're just lending it to us."

"Lending it to you," he repeated back, staring his son in the eyes now.

"That's right," Eli said, nodding from his place at the kitchen table. "Forty dollars will be enough to pay the late fee on my rent and give Auden enough gas to go back home."

"I'm not asking them for gas money, Eli," I hissed at him before looking across the table to stare at his mother. "I'm really not. I-"

"Oh, what? You're going to go to Heidi? The single mother?" Eli frowned at me. "Auden needs gas money. She's just too proud to admit it."

"Oh, whatever, Eli. You're the one who used my car last night and my last ten dollars."

"For good reason, Auden," he said before looking at his parents for conformation no doubt. "I had to pick Jake up from the bus station."

"Why did you have to pick Jake up from the-"

"Because he was running away," Eli cut his mother off. She frowned, but it was her husband who spoke.

"A grown man can't run away," Joseph muttered before shaking his head. "Where did Jake even get money for a bus ticket?"

"That's why I had to go pick him up."

"How did he get there?"

"Wallace."

"Then why couldn't Wallace-"

"It's really best to not ask questions," I told Joseph who just turned his frown on me. "It's just stupid, drunk things. That's why Wallace and Jake decided that. And I'm not asking for gas money, so I'm just going to go ahead and-"

"And leave?" He was still looking at me. "With what car?"

"I have enough gas to get back to Eli's. And then…I'll figure something out, okay?"

"Stop it, Joseph," Karen told him, hitting him in the arm. "If Eli and Auden need help-"

"She's saying they don't."

"There is no they," Eli said, casting me a dirty look. "I need help. I admit it. Isn't that a good thing, Mom? It's what you said earlier."

"Forty dollars isn't much," Karen agreed. "And Auden has to get back home."

"Why don't you go pawn some of your stuff, boy?" Joseph asked then, turning his annoyance back on his son. I was slowly learning that Joseph wasn't very nice when he wasn't around the kids. Although, I guess I was kind of asking him for money. …I mean, Eli is. Because I'm not. In any way.

"What stuff?" Eli asked.

"You have a TV, you have a laptop, you have all those silly videogame-"

"Fine, Dad. Fine." Eli jumped up then. ":Cone on, Aud. Let's go pawn our freaking stuff. Is that what you want? Dad? Fine then."

I watched him walk off for a moment, not feeling like getting up just yet. I knew Eli wasn't going anywhere anyways. Just to the front yard to throw his little temper tantrum until we figured something else out. I was leaning towards asking Heidi, as I knew there was no way we were actually going through with the whole pawn spiel. At least not with Eli's stuff.

Groaning as I stood, I started out of the kitchen. I didn't get very far though before Karen spoke again.

"Auden, wait," she called which of course caused her husband to glare at her. "You know as well as I do that we're going to give you guys the money. Just hold on a sec-"

"We don't need money," I told her. "Really, we're-"

"You have to get home, dear," she told me as she stood to leave the room, no doubt in search of her purse. "Just give me a second, huh?"

I really didn't want to, but I knew Eli did want their cash. I'd find my own means of getting home. I didn't need Karen and Joseph. I really didn't.

It was Joseph sighing that made me turn to face him again. He was standing then, not looking at me as he reached into his pocket.

"I'm not being this way to punish you, Auden," he told me then as he pulled out his billfold. "I'm doing it to teach you and El a lesson. Karen and I won't always be here for you to fall back on. You're going to have to learn to-"

"You're not my father," I told him then, not liking his tone. Like he was lecturing me. Joseph Stock lecturing me. Please. He couldn't even raise his own children right.

He looked up at me then, his green eyes staring hard into mine. They didn't look as annoyed as they did with his son, but rather tired. That's what Karen and Joseph are. Tired. Done. Defeated.

"No," he agreed slowly as he took a step towards me. "I'm not. And I don't want to be. However, I am that child in your stomach's grandfather. And that means something, whether you like it or not."

I just watched as he came closer still, holding out two dollar bills. I just stared at them for a moment before looking back up at him.

"You carry around two hundred dollars in your wallet," was the first response when I found them both to be hundreds.

"No," he said, staring at me. "Not usually."

"Then-"

"I just got back from the bank," he said, still holding the cash out to me. "I had to buy Jordan's birthday present this week. Not to mention Steven needed some-"

"If you give money to Steven, why won't you give any to us?"

"Because, Auden, I'm trying not to make another Steven," he told me. "I don't want Eli to think this is how life is, that your parents are just supposed to pay for you for the rest of your life. Karen and I did well for ourselves, but are by no means capable of-"

"Then why don't you just say no?"

"Because, Auden, they're my children. And what I do or don't do for them affect my grandchildren. I don't give Steven money and a place to stay, what happens to Vinny? If I don't help Eli out, what happens when you do have this baby?" He sighed loudly, closing his eyes. "But if I do help them, then they're never going to learn. They're going to think that this is okay. When it's not."

"It's a balance."

I looked up as Karen came back into the kitchen, a check in her hands.

"Right," Joseph said slowly, looking at his wife now. "One that we haven't found the right parts for."

"Here, Auden," she was saying then, moving to hand me the check too. Joseph was still holding his cash out, hardly glancing at his wife. Did they expect me to take both? To take all their money?

Shaking my head, I backed away from them slightly. "Maybe it's because you've never given the balance a chance."

"Auden-"

"I haven't had the baby yet," I told Joseph. "So who does it hurt if you don't give us money? Us."

"You didn't do anything, right?" Karen was still staring down at her check. I could see from the writing that she had made it out for a hundred. "You said Eli took-"

"I let Eli have my money, knowing that I didn't have a way back home," I told them both, moving through the living room now for the front door. "We'll figure something out."

"You do realize the second you leave town that Eli will just come over here and get the money, don't you?"

I smiled back at Joseph. "Then maybe that's when you say no. When I'm not here to do it."

* * *

"If we had a credit card, we wouldn't be in this situation."

I rolled my eyes at Eli. "If one of us had a credit card, the debt we'd be in would be insurmountable."

"While this is true, that doesn't change the fact that I'm angry at you."

I just rolled onto my other side, staring at him. "We got some money, didn't we?"

"Yeah, but I had to pawn my freaking PS2," Eli said, staring up into the darkness as we laid around in his bed, knowing soon I'd have to get ready to return home. "What if I can't afford to get it out?"

"Eli, the chick that owns the pawnshop knows your family. God, she gave you a lot more than it was worth these days."

"Still. I like my PS2."

"I know," I sighed, laying a hand on his chest. "We have two months though, to get it out."

"With interest though-"

"We got enough money for me to get back home and for you to pay off that late fee. It sucks, yeah, but we have to deal with it."

"You're only saying that because it wasn't you who freaking lost something."

"No, it wasn't. But it also wasn't me that got us into this mess."

"I thought we said we wouldn't blame one another for things anymore?"

"I wouldn't have to blame you if you'd just acknowledge your guilt."

"Whatever, Auden."

Sighing, I shut my eyes. "How could we both go broke?"

"I get paid Friday," he told me. "We'll figure something out. I'll send you some cash. Come up and see you if I can."

"I don't need-"

"Baby, you're living alone in an apartment. If you don't have money, then you don't have cash to buy food or water or anything." I felt it as he pressed his palm against my stomach. "That means my baby doesn't have those things either. I'll give up for you anytime, Auden. All you have to do is ask. I'll give up for my baby too, rather he asks or not."

Opening my eyes, I asked, "So you pawned your old game system and you couldn't pay for your cable this month. All you have now is that one your mom bought Jake."

"No," he sighed. "When Jake went back home, he took it with him."

"Then what are you going to do all day?"

"I dunno. It's back to basics, I suppose," he sighed. "Remember that one room apartment?"

"How could I forget?"

"No TV, no privacy. It sucked."

"I like this place much better."

"My budget doesn't." He groaned. "A year. It's been over a year and we're no better off at this parent stuff."

"I know," I whispered. "We're bad parents. We shouldn't get to be parents. We don't-"

"Don't get all emotional on me. Our baby's gonna be fine." He looked over at me then. "We're going to be fine."

"Are we though?"

"My parents were just being dicks today. When the baby's here, they'll-"

"We shouldn't need them to help us though, Eli. We should be able to take care of our own baby."

"I know."

"Your parents probably hate me."

"Why?"

"'cause now here I am again, having another baby." I sniffled. "They probably hope this one-"

"Don't you dare say that." Eli was glaring at me now as he shifted onto his side to stare at me. "Don't you ever say that. No one would ever wish that. Especially not my parents. Take it back. Take it back right-"

"Alright, fine! I take it back."

"Good." He let out a slight huff. "Good."

I stared downward now, not wanting to see his eyes. "Your parents tried to give me money."

"What?"

"When you stormed out of the house, they both tried to-"

"And you let me pawn my fucking-"

"I don't want them to think that we need them, Eli!" I glared up at him finally. "I don't want them to think that we've failed. That you've failed. That we're not good enough. Because we are. We are good enough. You're not a failure."

"Who called me one?"

I looked back down again. "I'm tired, Eli. This isn't how I wanted things. You know?"

"I'm not a failure, Auden."

"I didn't want to get pregnant again, Eli. And you didn't want me pregnant again either. Because we're not ready for this. We're not. And we weren't ready last time. And you know what happened? We lost the baby. We lost her. We lost Clayton. We did."

"No," he said, glaring at me now, angry. "_We_ didn't."

"Fine, Eli, I lost her. My point is still the same." My eyes were watery now as I stared at him. "What if it's God then, Eli?"

"What?"

"That God that you so wholeheartedly believe in," I repeated, wanting to hurt him now. If I knew any way to hurt him, this was it. "We couldn't take care of Clayton, so He took her away from us. Now we can't care for this baby and He's going to-"

"I think it's time for you to leave, Auden," Eli said then, glaring heavily at me. "Now."

"Whatever. Don't call me this week. Or ever." I pushed out of bed. "I'll call you. You know, when your little God decides to take this baby too. Your baby. Your God or your baby, Eli. Which do you-"

"Get out," he hissed now, glaring at me. "Get out of my house. Now!"

"I'm leaving," I told him as I headed out of the bedroom.

And I wouldn't be coming back.

* * *

"If you needed cash, all you had to do was ask."

"Maggie, I'm not going to ask you for money."

"Why not?" She was sitting on my couch, knees pulled up as she painted her toenails. "I want to help you out. I was with a Stock too. I know that they take all your money with nothing in return."

I rolled my eyes as I stood in the kitchen, scooping ice cream into a bowl. "I got something in return."

"You know you'll love your baby."

"That's not my problem. I-"

"By the time the baby comes, you'll have graduated," she went on, continuing to focus on her nails. "So you and Eli will have moved into an apartment together, huh? So you'll only be paying for one of those. And you won't be in school, so you'll be home all day with it at first, the baby, so that takes care of who's going to watch it. Then Eli will work all day and night and bring home money. Simple."

"I don't want to live with him."

"Right now you don't. But when you two are holding your new little baby and cooing at it and all in love and stuff, you're gonna want to be together all the time. Before the crying sets in. Then you'll want to claw your own eyes out." She giggled. "And then I'll come over and watch the baby. You know, 'cause I'm gonna be the best fucking aunt ever."

"Right, sure."

"I am." She nodded her head. "So see, Auden? Everything will work out."

"As long as you think so," I sighed as I put the ice cream away. "Still, Eli was a complete douche to me when I left."

"He was upset. He was broke, you basically called him a failure, and then you said you didn't want to have his baby. It happens."

"Why are you suddenly on Eli's side anyways? I called you to come over so you could take my side."

"I dunno," she said as I came back to sit next to her, my bowl of ice cream with me. "I just miss him. I haven't seen Eli in forever."

"You haven't gone home in forever," I pointed out.

"I know. You know who called me last week?"

"Who?"

"Esther," she said. "She was all upset with me, saying that I never even talk to her and Leah anymore even though we were supposed to be, like, best friends for life or whatever. And that's fine that she feels that way, but I can't help it. She and Leah both ended up back there in Colby, you know?"

"I know."

"I don't want that. I love my life now. I really love it. College has been great. And you know that internship I took? I'm pretty sure it'll turn into something more when I graduate. Nearly certain. I'm making something of myself. And if they can't handle that, then they can just forget I ever existed. You know?"

I nodded slightly. "Yeah."

She sighed then, shaking her head. "Did I ever get around to telling you that Adam emailed me?"

"What?"

Nodding, she said, "He said that he'd be in town around the time we're on spring break and wanted to know if I-"

"Are you?"

"I dunno. I'm not, like, going to get back with him or anything," she said quickly. "But I'm not with anyone right now. And he wanted to just, like, I don't know, hookup-"

"Adam's sweet," I told her. "Don't hurt him."

"Adam was sweet, Auden, when we were kids. When we were in high school. When we were eighteen. We all were sweet. God, even Jake was sweet in his own way. We're adults now." She looked up at me. "It's not like I'm some advocate for a lot of anonymous sex or anything."

Rolling my eyes, I said, "Of course not."

"But if I've already slept with a guy, then it's okay to go back to him. He's not anonymous. And since we've already slept together before, it doesn't affect the number of people I've been with. You know?"

"I've only been with two guys."

"Your two hardly count. You've been with brothers." She wrinkled her nose. "And one of them was just a quickie. Then the other was- I mean is a long term relationship. Your first. So your number is invalid."

"It's not like you want a big number. Right?"

"I don't. Who would?" She looked at my face then. "Do you really think you'll, like, never sleep with anyone else?"

"I don't know," I told her, frowning. "It's not something I think about."

"Really?" She seemed doubtful.

"Yes."

"You've never pretended that Eli's…someone else?"

"Who?"

"Anyone? At all." When I blushed, she giggled. "It's okay, Auden. Everyone does it."

"I just don't want to talk about it."

She sighed. "You're no fun when it comes to guys."

"I know."

"Do you really think Eli keeps these things private?" she asked then. "That he never talks to anyone about this kind of things?"

"What Eli does is his business," I told her. "I would hope he didn't, but if he does, that's between him and his conscience."

"You sound old when you say that." She shook her head at me. "So anyways, do you work tomorrow?"

"Yeah. Morning classes too. Then work."

"That sucks. Being a waitress. I hated doing that."

"I know." I made a face as just when I spooned up some of my ice cream there was a knock at my door. "Hold on."

"I've got it," she told me, having to walk on the balls of her feet as she stood to answer the door. She didn't make it to it though before it opened.

"It's me, Aud- Oh." Eli had just used his key, which he was pulling out of the door while staring at Maggie and I. "Hi."

She glanced back at me before at him. "If my toes weren't still drying, I'd beat you up right now. Kicking your pregnant girlfriend out of-"

"Yeah, you can leave." Eli left the door opened as he came over to me. "Lock up behind you, kid."

"You-"

"What are you doing here?" I asked Eli as Maggie closed the door, her glare turned on my boyfriend. "Eli?"

"To be with you, of course. Pledge my undying love and all that. Make up. Maybe have s-" He saw the look on my face and changed his mind. "Or not have sex. That's cool too. I'll give you a massage though. And if it goes somewhere, h-" He saw the look didn't change. "Or we could just nap. Napping sounds great."

Still, I just gazed at him. "Do you apologize?"

"With all my heart."

"Make him get on his knees," Maggie suggested.

"You be quiet. Or better yet, leave." Eli hardly looked at her at her stared at me. "I'm sorry, Aud. I love you. And I love our baby. And I hope that you don't make me drive all the way back home tonight. And that you love me too."

I just sighed, staring at him. "How long after I left did you come after me?"

"An hour or so," he said, shrugging slightly. "When I calmed down. I tried to call you, but you didn't answer."

"You're not forgiven yet," I warned. "But you can stay."

"Great." He smiled at me then, moving to take Maggie's place on the couch.

"What about work?"

"Told Clyde I needed a day off." He shrugged slightly. "I had to come get you."

"You never lost me," I mumbled as he laid his hand over my stomach, smiling softly.

"Not to interrupt or anything," Maggie interjected then, "but I would love to leave except for I don't want to smudge my toenail polish. So, Eli, if you would gladly, like, like get up so I could sit back down, it would be much appreciated."

He kissed the side of my head before standing. "I have to go get my bag out of the car anyways. I'll be right back, Aud. You don't need anything, do you?"

"No," I told him, going back to my ice cream. "I'm good."

"Great," he said with a slight smile before heading out the door.

"So," Maggie began the second he was gone. "How much money was wasted by him coming down here then?"

I didn't even give her a dirty look for that one as she reclaimed her seat next to me. How much money was _wasted_? "None."

* * *

"Wake up."

"No."

"Well, I'm not getting up," Eli told me as he rolled over. "And there's someone at your door."

"It's like, six in the morning," I grumbled as I myself heard the sound of knocking. "That is not cool."

"You'd be the expert on that, huh?"

"Eli, go get the door."

"What? No. It's your apartment."

"And? It's early in the morning," I told him.

"So?"

"So what if it's, like, an ax murder or something?"

"Tell him to leave me the fuck alone," Eli said simply as he burrowed deeper into the pillow. I was going to respond, but then the knocking started again. Pounding almost.

"Eli-"

"Fine," he grumbled, getting out of bed. As he slipped on his jeans, he said, "If it is an ax murder though, I'm sending him in here to kill you first."

"Great plan," I mumbled, shutting my eyes as he left. "Tell whoever it is to go away. And if it's Maggie, scold her for being so untimely."

"And if it's your secret lover?"

"Tell him I'm pregnant. I forgot to do that."

"You're hilarious," he grumbled, closing the bedroom door behind him. I thought that was the end of it until not a minute after he went to open the door, Eli called out for me.

"I told you to tell them to- Hollis." I was standing in my living room then, arms wrapped around myself as I stood in the cold, only in one of Eli's t-shirts and a pair of shorts. "What are you doing here?"

"I came to see you," he told me from his spot on the couch. Eli was in the kitchen now, no doubt making himself a pot of coffee. "Since you're all pregnant and what not."

"You shouldn't have," Eli mumbled just loud enough for us all to hear. Hollis ignored him though as he looked around.

"Wow. Bare minimum, sis? How chic."

How broke was more like it. Sighing, I went to sit down next to him on the couch.

"How do you even know where I live?"

"Mom," he told me simply, still looking around. "Damn, not even a TV? What do you do all day?"

"Study, sleep, and work."

"And have sex, clearly," he said, nodding at my stomach then. I just frowned at him. "You know, Aud, I would have liked to get a customary telephone call."

"Yeah, because getting pregnant just requires customary phone calls to people you don't want to talk to."

"It actually does," he told me, apparently not taking the hint. "So where's Thisbe?"

"At home," I told him, frowning. "She has school today, Hollis. And so do I actually, so-"

"Well then let's not waste any time." He hopped up then, rushing into the kitchen just as Eli was coming out of it. "I'll make breakfast."

"And I'll be in shower. Tell me when he leaves, Aud."

"You'll be in there a long time then, Eli," Hollis retorted.

"What do you mean?" I asked, frowning at him now. "Hollis?"

"Well, I'm staying here, of course."

"Staying?" I asked. "As in…?"

"As in I'm going to crash on your couch for a while."

"And my drive to head back home was just found." Eli went into the bedroom. "I won't be here when you get home, Aud. I'll be in Colby. Or headed there. Cool?"

I ignored his passive aggressiveness towards my brother as I instead focused on the information I had just been given. Staying? With me? God, I foresaw this as being worse than the time Jake stayed with me. And that in itself was torture. This would be Hell. Absolute Hell.

…Then again, the chances that we wouldn't get into a big enough fight to send him running for the hills within the next hour were slim. Very, very slim.

"Wow, no sausage?" Hollis was raiding the fridge now. "And hardly any eggs. What do you eat for breakfast, Auden?"

"I don't." I could feel Eli glaring at me now, as I had promised him that I would begin doing that. "I mean, I eat toast. Or bread. Peanut butter and bread."

"Huh. Well, I can't find any br-"

"Would you be quiet a second, Hollis?" I stood up then, turning to head into the kitchen with him. "You know, you really should call someone before you just barge into their lives."

"God, you sound just like some of my ex-girlfriends."

Groaning, Eli headed into the bedroom before quickly returning with some clothes. He gave me a slight nod before heading into the bathroom. I just stood there for a moment before frowning.

"Eli," I complained as I heard the shower turn on. "I needed to shower first. I have school in-"

"You wouldn't even be up yet if it wasn't for your brother," he volleyed back to me through the closed door. "So figure something else out."

Turning back to my older brother, I found he had discovered the ice cream, which was really the only thing left in my freezer.

"No food at all, not really, except for ice cream." He looked back at me. "Planning on becoming obese?"

"Shut up, Hollis." I walked off then. "I'm going to get dressed. Don't mess anything up."

"There's nothing here to mess up."

I guess he didn't realize that was by design.

* * *

"Ah, college life. School at nine, work at five, party the rest of the time. It- Are you serious, dude?"

Eli frowned at my older brother as he continued to cover his eggs and hash browns with ketchup. "What?"

"That is disgusting."

"You're disgusting."

"Stop it," I sighed, shaking my head. "Seriously, knock it off. Both of you."

"He started it," Eli mumbled as he tried to hand me the ketchup. When I shook my head, he just shrugged and sat it back down. "Suit yourself."

I stabbed at my eggs before giving up and looking around the diner. We were in the middle of the morning rush thanks to my brother. Hollis, having come to terms with the fact that there was no real food to be had at my apartment, had finally decided that we should all just go out to eat. Together. As a family.

Yeah right.

Eli had only been on board because he was getting hungry and wanted to eat anyways before he headed back home. I'd thought of asking him to stay a while longer, as I knew if I made clear that I wanted him, he'd stay, but I knew that that would only lead to he and Hollis inevitably getting into a disagreement. So as badly as I wanted him with me, I knew I had to let him go. Not to mention, we did need that work money…

"Eat, Aud," Eli said, elbowing me gently in the side. "If you don't, that food will just have gone to waste. And you know as well as I do that we don't have enough cash to just be wasting food."

"Money issues, kids?"

Eli glared at Hollis then. "It's really none of your business."

"I'll cover the bill then, yes?" Hollis was clearly happy with himself at the thought, though I couldn't tell if the joy was from the fact he was beating out Eli or that he thought this would lead to him and I resolving our differences. Still, I knew how Eli would take his smile of victory.

"No," Eli said, glaring at him more heavily now. "You won't."

"There's no shame in taking money, Eli," he told him, the words dissonantly similar to those of my boyfriend's father. "Besides, I would always take the offer of free food."

"Fine. Then I'll cover the whole bill."

"Eli, knock it off," I laid a hand on his arm, sighing slightly before looking at my brother. "Thank you for the offer, Hollis, but-"

"I can help you guys out. Besides, it's just breakfast." He was staring at me now, no longer taunting Eli. "It's alright, Auden."

I just reached out and picked up my glass of water before taking a big gulp. My stomach was not settled enough for all this.

"Fine, Hollis," I said as I looked back down at my food. The yellow of the eggs was giving me a headache. "I'll just take mine to go though. I'll eat it later."

"You better," Eli muttered, angry now that he had lost the war of who would foot the bill. I mean honestly, how petty are they?

"I will," I assured him, though I knew he probably didn't believe me. I also knew he was probably right. I definitely wouldn't be eating all of the food whenever I did get around to it. Snack on some of it maybe, but definitely not eat the whole thing. No way.

"Clyde," Eli told me then as he pulled his phone out, it no doubt having vibrated in his pocket. "I text him that I'd be back in Colby soon. Says if I get back, I can work. Alright?"

I just nodded slightly. "Yeah, okay."

He started wolfing down his food then, probably planning on leaving as soon as he finished. I just focused my attention on my oldest sibling, who was leisurely cutting into his stack of pancakes. I let him take his time, knowing that I still had time to kill before I needed to head out to school. I had nowhere else to be, after all.

"I'll see you later, Aud," Eli said as soon as he was done, pressing a kiss to my cheek and laying a hand on my stomach. "I'll call tonight, huh?"

"No," I told him, shaking my head. "I work late. I'll call you, okay?"

"I'll be up,"

"And sober," I prompted.

Making no notion of having heard me, Eli just finished off his coffee before standing and leaving. When it was just Hollis and I sitting at the table, I finally decided to speak to him again.

"So what's your real reason for being here?"

"Why, Auden, I'm appalled." He grinned at me. "I can't come visit my baby sister?"

"Your baby sister is in Colby and you haven't seen her in a long time." I took another sip of my water. "Now what was it you really wanted?"

"I have nowhere else to be. Don't have any more friends, or so I've been finding out."

"What do you mean?" I asked, giving him a look.

"I can't find anyone that will let me crash at their place," he told me, shrugging slightly. "You can only burn so many bridges, you know?"

All too well,

"And I can't go back to Mom and Dad's place," he went on. "They're way too creepy now that they're back together or whatever. So I thought that I could stay with you for a while. You know, until I find my way again."

"Find your way," I said slowly.

"Yeah, see, I was thinking about being a, you know, writer."

I blinked. Then I blinked again. "A writer?"

Nodding, he added, "It's in the genes, Aud. A writer. World renowned."

"And you're going to write…what exactly?"

"Fantasy novels."

I groaned. "Please, God, no. Mom will-"

"Flip. Yes, I know. She already did."

"What did you tell her exactly?"

"That I wanted to be the next Tolkien. Martin."

"Are you sure it just wasn't shock? Not anger? I mean, that's kind of big goals there, you know."

"I can do it," he said, taking a bite of pancake before speaking again. "I was born to be a writer."

"Mom and Dad are scholarly though."

"Makes no difference to me."

"I'm sure it doesn't," I said. "But it as far as your…talents go-"

"I'm destined for greatness, Auden." He stared me right in the eyes. "I just need a place to crash while I create my masterpiece. Or should I say masterpieces?"

"Well," I began slowly, thinking. "I'm not going to be in that apartment much longer. When I graduate, Eli and I-"

"Yeah, I know."

"So, you've only got until June or so."

"Alright."

"And no parties. Or guests. At all. Unless I give my consent."

"Okay."

"And I'm going to add your name to the lease. This is for the long haul."

"Sure."

"Then…alright."

He held his hand across the table. "Roomies?"

Tentatively, I reached out a hand to take his. "Roomies."

* * *

"So are you two, like, sharing a bed?"

Rolling my eyes, I said, "No, Heidi. He sleeps on the couch."

"Oh. Is it big enough for that?"

"He hasn't complained," I said. "I mean, he's backpacked through Europe, lived like a nomad here. A couch is more than enough for him."

"And it hasn't interfered with your studies?"

"No more than everything else has."

I was currently standing in my kitchen, making a sandwich. Though I hated to admit it, having Hollis around had accomplished one thing. If the boy could do anything, he could eat. By turn, he'd filled the fridge up with all sorts of food. The freezer too. I wasn't sure where he was getting all of his money, but I honestly had no desire to know. I knew it didn't come from Mom and Dad and that was enough for me.

At first, I'd tried my hardest to keep our food separate. Making sure to buy my own cereal, own milk, and own eggs. Hollis didn't seem to care at first, but when he found my name written on a carton of orange juice, he kind of lost it.

"Auden," he had called, about two weeks into us living together. I had just gotten home and was in my bedroom. "Come here for a second."

When I found him in the kitchen, I just stood there, staring at him. "What? I have to get ready for-"

"Seriously?" He shook the carton of orange juice at me. "Knock this off."

I just looked at my block print, my name spelled out in sharpie. "I bought it. It's mine. You buy your things. They're yours. We-"

"Aud, why do you think it has to be like that?"

"We're roommates, Hollis, not-"

"You're my little sister. My baby sister. My pregnant baby sister." He sat the carton down on the counter before staring at me. "My baby sister is pregnant by a guy that can't take care of her."

"Hollis-"

"He can't. And if he can't take care of you, fine. Let me. If you need something, that's fine. Just tell me." He was looking deeply into my eyes then. "You need to eat. And I know you're on a tight budget right now and can't afford food. Good food. Just eat what I've bought, Aud. It's not that big of a deal."

"But-"

"I love you." He smiled at me slightly. "You're my little sister. And that baby in you? That's my nephew. Or niece. Whatever. I want to take care of the baby too. I'm gonna be an uncle. For real this time."

I stared back at him, thinking. "I guess we could share food and stuff. I guess."

"That's not all, Aud."

"What else is there?"

"Anything. You can ask me for anything." He held out his hands, as if he were submissive. "I'm at your service."

At my service. I liked that. I really did.

"…Auden? Are you still there? Hello?"

"Oh, yeah, Heidi," I said as I took my plate with me over to the couch. "I am. Just thinking, that's all."

"Is your brother home right now?"

"No," I told her as I sat down. "He's out."

"Working?"

"I don't really know."

"Do you work tonight?"

"I just got off, actually," I told her. "Hey, have you talked to Joseph or Karen recently?"

"I saw them, like, two days ago when I picked Thisbe up from their house," she told me. "Why?"

"I just haven't seen them since Hollis moved in. I haven't had a chance to, you know, go down to Colby."

"Was there something you wanted me to tell them?"

"No," I said, shaking my head even though I knew she couldn't see it over the phone. "I was just… That last time I saw them, Joseph as kind of…a jerk."

"To you?"

"Yeah."

"About?"

"Well, Eli wanted them to give him money and I told them that we didn't need it. Then he kept trying to lecture me-"

"They just like you, Auden, Karen and Joseph do. Feel parental towards you. Karen treats me the same way."

"Yeah, but I don't need-"

"You're having their grandchild," she said. "That's serious business to some people."

"I guess so."

"I mean, I was talking to Robert yesterday and he said your mother's pretty pumped."

I blinked. "When I told her I was pregnant again, she hung up the phone on me. And every time we've spoken since then, she refuses to talk about it."

"Robert thinks that she's coming back around to the idea."

I just rolled my eyes. "I think I'm coming down this weekend."

"Really?"

"Yeah. Eli and I have a doctor's appointment. We're going to find out the-"

"It's a girl. I just know it's a girl."

"-the sex," I finished, frowning. "And you don't know that."

"Yes, I do. It's a girl. It's totally a girl."

"Karen told me she thought I was having a boy," I told her.

"Nope. She's wrong."

"I think she'd have a better chance at guessing than you do."

"How do you figure?"

"Wasn't she, like, a baby doctor or something?"

"Or something," Heidi agreed. "Have you thought of names? Because when it is a girl, which it totally will be, I think you should name it after me."

"Ha. Right. Okay." I shook my head slightly. "We haven't talked much about names yet."

"You had better start."

"Heidi, we have until July."

"Still. You don't want to get stuck with name you don't like."

"Eli's not Dad. He'll want a normal name."

"I dunno. They say women marry their fathers."

"Eli and I aren't married and he and Dad are nothing alike."

"Uh-huh."

"And Dad was like your father then?"

"Robert and I weren't meant to be, Auden," she scolded. "You and Eli are."

"Are we?"

"Do you not think so?"

I just signed before taking a bite of my sandwich. After swallowing, I asked, "Are you and Heath meant to be?"

"Me and Heath are completely over."

"What happened?"

"We were just having sex these past few weeks," she told me then, being far more open with me than I ever wanted to be with her. "Not really talking, or going on dates. It's been a long time coming really."

"And you haven't met anyone new?"

"I meet men constantly, Auden. And you know we're getting closer and closer to summer. I need a new fling, you know?"

"Mmmm."

"I mean, of course you don't know, but I meant- Ooh, gotta go, Auden."

"What? Why?"

"Customer. Love you, see you this weekend!"

With that final high pitch squeal, Heidi was gone and I was alone. Sighing, I looked around my apartment before shaking my head. There were hardly any signs of my brother even living with me, as I was forcing him to keep his things orderly and not just strew around my living room. I'd given him a drawer in my dresser to use, but only after making him promise to keep out of all the others. He had just made a face at me and told me the thought of finding whatever I was hiding in there was revolting.

Still, it was like he was never home. I wonder if that's how it'll be with Eli when we finally live together. I hope not. I really hope not. Because there were very few things I hated more than being alone.


	3. Chapter 3

Fresh Start

Chapter 3

"Welcome to Fry King. Can I take your-"

"Eli?"

"…Auden?"

I stared hard at that stupid box thing you place your order in. "What are you-"

"Working. What are you-"

"I told you that I was coming down this-"

"Aud, my manager is, like, right behind me. I really need this job. Order when ready."

"Uh, just a burger."

"Right so two burgers and a two large fries."

"Uh, that is not what I-"

"Your total is-"

"Eli-"

"I'm clearly ordering for the both of us, doofus. Now pull forward. God."

"I hope you know that if I'm asked about customer service, I am totally telling them-"

"Aud, we need me to have this job. Now pull forward."

Rolling my eyes, I shifted in my seat as I pulled forward like he wanted. The second I was at the pay window though, I spoke.

"You're working at a fast food place."

Eli just stared out at me. "It's bringing in money, isn't it?"

"And you never thought to mention this because…?"

"It never came up."

"Eli-"

"I thought you weren't getting in until late?" He was holding out his hand and for a moment I forgot that I had to pay him.

"I wasn't, but- Oh, and by the way, I am not paying for your food."

"Just buy my lunch."

"Eli-"

"It's either that or I starve to death. Your choice."

Rolling my eyes, I handed over the money before saying, "You're turning more and more into your brother every day."

"Which one?"

"Take a wild guess."

Scowling now, he asked, "Are you going back to my place?"

"Yeah, probably."

"Well, park and wait for me. I get off in twenty minutes."

"Eli-"

"Either that or you'll have to come back to pick me up," he warned.

"And why exactly would I have to do that?"

"Jake has my truck."

'You gave Jake your-"

"A lot of things led up to it, but in short, yes."

"Eli-"

"You're letting your stupid brother live with you. Like full on live with you. How is giving mine my truck any worse?"

"Gee, let me count the ways."

"Go, Aud-" He cut himself off as a man appeared behind him. "I mean, here's your change, ma'am."

I gave him a look, but Eli just turned back to his cash register. "Thank you, sir."

The guy just stood there, glaring at Eli until my food was ready. Eli quickly shoved some ketchup in the bag before handing it off to me. Then he slammed the drive thru window in my face, which was a really rude thing to do to anyone, much less your pregnant girlfriend.

So anyways, I did go ahead and sit in the parking lot, awaiting his arrival. While I was sitting there though, I went ahead and sent Heidi a text telling her I was in town and would pick Vinny and Thisbe up from school. I tried to do that from time to time to make things easier on her and the Stocks. Also, I knew it would drive Eli crazy, which was a plus since apparently he'd been keeping his job a secret.

"Hey, Aud-"

"Get in," I said, not glancing at him. "And hurry up. We have to go get them from preschool."

"Auden-"

"I already told Heidi we would."

Grumbling, he climbed into my car, quickly picking up the bag of food. "Auden, you ate, like, half of my fries."

"With good reason."

"And what good reason would that be?"

"Because I bought them with my own money."

"You-"

"Besides, Eli, aren't you the one that's always asking me to eat more?"

"Not my food though."

"Suck it up."

He just groaned, buckling his seatbelt before pulling his burger out of the fast food bag. "Oh, and before you ask, I was planning on making a big reveal of my new job."

"A big reveal of the fact that you no longer work at a bike shop, but rather a fast food restaurant?"

"Not rather, Auden," he corrected as I pulled out of the parking lot. "I still work at the bike shop. So now I'm bringing in more money."

"Still not getting where the big reveal would have come into play."

"You'd have been all excited and stuff when you saw that I had all this extra money. So of course you'd want to know where I was getting it."

"Uh-huh."

"And then you'd have asked me and I'd have told you that I was prostituting. You know, as a joke. It'd have been funny."

I looked at his as I came to a red light. "Do you think that's what Hollis is doing?"

"What?"

"I mean, he doesn't have a job, but he's constantly bringing home cash and I-"

"He's probably dealing."

"Cards?"

"Drugs, genius."

I made a face. "That's not funny, Eli."

"How is him dealing worse than him prostituting? God, you have such flawed logic."

I just shook my head as the light turned green and we started moving again. "Just forget it."

The two of us rode in silence the whole way to the preschool. And even then Eli just got out of the car to collect the two kids without speaking to me. I swear, we fight over the rashest of things.

"Hi, Auden!"

I smiled as Vinny and Thisbe climbed into my backseat. She had been holding Eli's hand the whole way to the car and was visibly upset. "Hi."

"Did you have the baby yet?" Vinny asked as Eli helped him buckle up. "Stop it, Eli! I can do it myself."

"No, Vinny," I sighed as Eli got back into the passenger seat. "I haven't. But thank you for asking every single time I see you."

"You're welcome," he said, beaming.

"What's wrong with you, Isby?" I asked, glancing back at her.

"Nothing!"

Okay. I looked to Eli, but he just shrugged.

"Well, do you guys want to go home with Eli and me or do you want to go to Joseph and K-"

"I've gotta go see Grandma and Grandpa," Vinny told me. "Now."

Alright then. At least that was decided.

"What's going on, buddy?" Eli asked him. "What do you gotta see them for?"

"I just gotta, Eli. It ain't none of your business."

"Vinny," I warned, but he just scowled as me before looking at Thisbe. She was still pouting about something as well, so I went ahead and assumed something had gone on at school that had them both so riled up. I was starting to regret offering to pick them up.

When we got to the Stocks, I had planned on just dropping Vinny off, but Eli quickly got out as well. Vinny had jumped out and rushed up to the door, leaving Thisbe behind. She didn't' seem to want to go in, but if we were all going, she had to come along.

"Come on, Thisbe," Eli said as he opened her car door. "Do you wanna talk about it?"

"No!"

"That's fine. Neither do I." He slung her up with one arm before kissing her cheek. "I don't want to talk about nothing."

"Me neither."

"Good then."

I rolled my eyes as I headed up to the house as well. I had slowly come to terms with the fact that my life in Colby would inevitably revolve around the Stocks and I had better just get used to it.

Vinny had already disappeared into the house when we made it up the porch steps, so we just let ourselves in, Thisbe still in Eli's arms. She looked slightly less upset than she had before, but I was counting that towards the fact she and Eli got along so well.

"Wow, Vinny," I could hear Joseph saying from the kitchen. "That was mighty nice of you."

"Mmmhmm. I made one for you too, Grandma."

She was in the kitchen too, or so I found out as Eli and I headed in there. My boyfriend quickly sat Thisbe down, who clung to his leg, whining.

"What is up with you?" Eli asked her as I looked at what Vinny had presented his grandparents with.

"Thank you for the cards, Vinny," Karen said, smiling at him. "We'll have to hang them on the refrigerator, okay? You can even choose which magnets we use."

"Okay! My teacher told me that I have really, really nice grandparents." He was bouncing with excitement. "I told her that you're okay, Granny, but that Grandpa is awesome!"

"Vinny," Karen complained, making a face at him while Joseph just laughed.

"It's not fair!" Thisbe stomped her feet then, full on crying now. I quickly moved to get her, but Eli beat me to it, lifting her into his arms.

"What's your problem, Thisbe?" he asked her as Karen came to take her. "Huh?"

"It's not fair. Vinny has a mommy and a daddy and a brother and a sister. How come he gets a grandma and grandpa too?"

"You have a father, brother, mother, and sister," Eli told her, but his mother just frowned at him. "What? She does."

"I don't gotta grandma or a grandpa. Vinny's gots two grannies and two grandpas. It ain't fair!"

"Why does this bother you now, honey?" Karen asked her as she shifted the girl into her arms.

"We had to make cards," she whined, burying her head in the woman's neck. "For our grannies and grandpas. Everyone had some 'cept for me. Then I started crying and Vinny called me a baby and told everyone that I didn't have any."

"Vinny." Joseph pushed his grandson's head, frowning. "Did you do that?"

"Yep." He was busy hanging his cards up. "It's okay though, Thisbe. People like babies. Auden's even havin' another one!"

She just moaned some more while Karen kissed her head.

"I don't have grandparents, Thisbe," I told her. "Or at least not ones I remember meeting if that makes you feel any better."

"No. I want a grandma and a grandpa."

"Dad's father is still alive," I tried, but she just held tighter to Karen.

"Well, don't start crying again, Thisbe." Vinny turned around once he was finished hanging his gifts on the fridge. "Get down here."

"No!"

He went to hold onto his grandmother's leg, staring up at his friend. "If you want…I guess we can share."

"Share what?"

'Grandma and Grandpa." He smiled up at her. "They like you lots. Huh, Grandpa?"

"That's right," he said slowly while Karen just moved to set Thisbe on the ground.

"So see?" Vinny patted her on the head. "Stop being a crybaby. Or, instead of sharin', you can just take Granny and I can keep Grandpa."

"Vinny." He got his head shoved by his grandmother again.

Giggling, Vinny hugged my younger sister. "You can make 'em both stuff too. They like stuff. Then you don't have to cry in class. Okay?"

She just looked up as Karen leaned down to look at her.

"Thisbe," she said slowly. "You know that Joseph and I love you very much, right?"

Nodding, Thisbe moved away from Vinny to stare at her. "Yes."

"Because we do. And if you want to think of us as your…grandparents, that's fine. We love you just as much as we do Vinny or Jordan or Erica. Even Taylor. Don't we, Joseph?'

"Of course," he said, smiling at her. "You know that, Thisbe."

She was bashful now that her fit was over and looked down at her feet. "Okay."

"What did you make then, sweetheart?" Karen asked her as she stood once more. "Instead of something for your grandparents?"

"I made Mommy a card," she told them. "I'm sorry."

"That's alright."

"I'll make you one tomorrow," Thisbe told them then, smiling.

"And where will we put it, Karen?" Joseph asked. "On the fridge?"

She grinned at him. "Yes. I think right over Vinny's two cards would be-"

"No!" Vinny made a face. "We can't share anymore, Thisbe."

"It's not your choice, buddy," Eli told him as he ruffled his nephew's hair. "It's Mom and Dad's."

"No!"

"You said that you didn't want me as a grandmother anyways, Vinny," Karen told him. "You-"

"I love you, Granny!" He quickly moved to wrap his arms around her legs, holding tight to the woman. "I love you so much. You're my granny. Okay?"

"Of course, honey." She stroked his head gently. "Now you and Thisbe go play, alright?"

Both children hugged Joseph, who in turned gave them a cookie, before running off, all the tears and sorrow forgotten. Joseph quickly kissed his wife's cheek before addressing his son, saying something about needing his help in the garage with something. As they went off, I went to take a seat at the kitchen table where I could tell Karen had been previously from the fact her magazine and coffee cup were sitting there.

"These kids," she sighed as she went to sit back down. "And Auden, I haven't even had a chance to say hello to you. I haven't seen you in weeks."

"Yeah, I know," I said, smiling at her slightly. "I've been so busy with work and my brother moving in."

"Eli mentioned something about that."

"Yeah, he came to stay with me for awhile."

"How long is awhile?"

"Until he writes the next great American novel."

She stared hard at me for a moment before shaking her head. "Your mother always says that he's very bright."

"Not that bright."

"At least you have someone helping you with your rent now," Karen told me. "Right?"

"He pitches in."

"And Eli has another job now, I'm sure you know. He was wearing his work clothes."

I nodded slightly. "Fry King."

"He honestly wants to support you, Auden," she told me then, staring into my eyes. "He just doesn't have the means."

"I don't need a man to support me."

She smiled then, shaking her head at me. "You don't realize it yet, honey, but you are your mother."

"I'm nothing like her."

"If you say so." She looked back down at her magazine. "Eli mentioned an appointment tomorrow morning?"

"We're going to find out the sex."

"Mmmm." She shook her head slightly. "I've already told you that."

"Heidi says that I'm having a girl."

"Heidi _wants_ you to have a girl," she corrected.

"What do you want me to have?"

"I've had my share of sons and grandsons, a daughter and granddaughters. It doesn't matter to me much." She looked back up at me. "All I want, Auden, is for you to have a baby. This baby. That's all that matters to me."

"Me too," I mumbled.

"Now, I do hope that you get what you want," she told me. "Do you want a daughter? Or a son?"

"I don't really care either way."

"I never really wanted children when I was young," Karen told me. "Then we had Steven and Linda and I thought we were done. A boy and a girl. Joey always wanted more though. He loves taking care of kids."

"Yeah, I've noticed."

I got another smile for that. "He's so excited, Auden, about you and Linda being pregnant. She's having another little girl. Erica's ecstatic too of course. And Kevin as well, I'm sure."

"Sure."

"And Eli's happy about this baby," she assured me.

"I know."

"It's just a bit much for the two of you. Everything will work itself out though."

"It always does," I agreed solemnly. It always does…

* * *

The doorbell ringing woke me up. This shocked me for a moment as I couldn't figure out where I was. Eli and I both lived in apartments with no such things. Slowly though, my surrounds came back to me as I made out the furnishings of the Stock living room in the dark.

I had fallen asleep on their couch while waiting for Eli to come back. When Steven got home from work the two brothers went out to get something. I wasn't sure what. By that point I had been halfheartedly playing with Thisbe and Vinny. The later it got though, the more tired I became. I had laid down on the couch with the plan of Eli waking me up at some point to go home. Guess that time came and passed.

Groaning, I pushed myself off the couch, my back cursing the decision already. The bell rang again which kind of pissed me off. I mean, God, at least give a person time to get to the freaking door. Seriously.

"I'm coming," I groaned, heading towards the front door. Sheesh. Opening the door without even checking to see who it was, I said, "Hello?"

"H- Ooh. Who are you?"

I stared back at the man in front of me. He was older than Joseph and Karen significantly, but that wasn't shocking. A lot of elderly people lived around here. I assumed it was one of their older neighbors or something.

"Auden," I said, staring at him. I could see around the short, slight man that all the cars were gone from the driveway except mine. Great. Was I the only one home? God. "Did you need something? Because I don't-"

"My son. Joseph. He does still live here, doesn't he?"

I stared harder at the man. "You're Joseph's father?"

The old man just stared back at me, his deep blue eyes seeming creepily alive on such an old guy. He also stank of alcohol, but if he was the oldest male of the Stock clan, this didn't come as a surprise."

"I am," he told me, standing up straighter. My first response was to do a rough calculation of how old he must be based off how old I assumed Joseph to be. Then I shook my head and took a step back.

"Come in. Joseph is-"

"So he finally traded up, eh?"

"Excuse me?"

"From that woman. Karen." He gave me a once over which about made me vomit. "You're so young. A child. And with child too, ain't ya?"

Then I had this horrible imagine in my head of me with Joseph which made me want to vomit again. Double vomit.

"I'm not-"

"Auden? Who's at the door?"

I froze as Karen came out of the back hallway leading to the bedrooms. Thank _God_ someone else was home. I was about to die.

"Dear, you welcome guests in," Karen scolded lightly as she came into the living room, turning on the light as she went. I winced slightly, not liking the suddenly brightness. "Who- James."

The man looked from me to Karen and then back again. "What-"

"Come in," Karen said after her shock died down. She glanced out onto the porch. "Did you come alone?"

"Course I did, woman."

She rolled her eyes, closing the front door behind him. "I was under the impression that you no longer had a license."

"A what?"

"A license. I thought-"

"Ya fight in wars for pansies back home to take your freedoms away from ya." The man hobbled over to the couch, sinking into it. "Who's the girl, woman?"

"This is Auden. My…" She clearly didn't know how to explain that one. "Eli's girlfriend."

"Who?"

"Eli. Your grandson. You know Eli."

The man was making these weird smacking noises now, just staring at her. Karen put a hand to her forehead, sighing.

"Auden, can you call Eli? Tell him and Steven to get home? And tell him to call his father, please." She glanced at me before the man on the couch. James, I think she called him. Then, turning to who I assumed was her true father-in-law, she asked, "What made you come visit?"

"What?"

"Why are you here, James?"

He smacked again before looking at me. "So you're not with my boy?"

"James," Karen repeated louder this time. I could tell that his insinuations were annoying her. "What are you doing here?"

He looked back at her. "Eh?"

"Why did you…never mind. Do you need something? Water?"

"Huh?"

"Would you like a glass of water?"

"No," he said slowly, smacking again. "A beer'd be good."

"I am not giving you a… Auden, can you get him a glass of water? And did you call Eli?"

"I am," I told her, walking off to the kitchen. "Right now."

"Good."

I went to lean against the counter, the phone against my ear. Eli picked up on the first ring.

"Hello?"

"Your grandfather's here."

"…What?"

"Joseph's father. He's-"

"That's not funny, Auden. What are you-"

"Some guy is here and he told me that he's your father's dad. Karen called him James," I said, sighing. "Where are you at?"

"Steven and I are at the shop. Jake had an emergency."

"Meaning?"

"Jake got into a fight with Wallace."

"Right. Where's your dad?"

"Is he not there?"

"No. Your mother told me to call you and tell you to get home. Oh, and call your father, tell him to get home as well."

"You're kidding, right?"

"I'm as confused as you, alright? Just get home. And call your-" I stopped as I heard the front door open and close. "Never mind. I think he's home."

"Wh-"

I hung on before quickly going to grab a glass and filling it with water. When I got back into the living room I found Vinny and Thisbe standing there, no doubt having gone with Joseph wherever it was he had went. They were just standing there though in the living room, watching the man on the couch. They knew from experience that when someone was over, they were to be seen not heard unless told otherwise. Karen was staring at the door though, biting her thumbnail like a teenager or something. It wasn't until Joseph walked through the door that I realized it was him who she had been waiting for.

"You two beat me into the house, didn't-" Joseph stopped short of teasing the kids, staring at the man on the couch. "Dad?"

The man just sat there in his flannel shirt, smacking away. "Come to see ya. Didn't know you had one so young these days."

"Wh-"

"For the last time, James, this is Eli's girlfriend," Karen reiterated, clearly annoyed now. "Auden. She's not-"

"What are you doing here?" Joseph was just standing there, bags of takeout in his hands.

"Your brother told me that that old man died."

"This Fall," Joseph said slowly, still staring at his father. "That has nothing to do with you. I didn't even know Koda was talking to-"

"Joey," Karen whispered then. "Let me take the food. You and your father-"

"Ya bring me my beer?" The man, James, was staring hard at Karen once more.

"Here," I said then, moving forwards to hand him the glass of water.

"Like this one more, boy," he said as he took the glass from me. "A lot more."

"You-"

"Karen, go set the dining room table," Joseph said, staring at his father. "Please. Go help Granny, kids."

Vinny and Thisbe readily ran off to the dining room, no doubt wanting to get away from the tension they felt in the room. When Karen walked passed her husband, he gave her a kiss on the cheek, grasping her arm for a long moment as he held her in place. He whispered something to her to which she nodded before continuing out of the room. I quickly followed, wanting away from that tension probably more than the children did.

The dining room took more than just setting the table to get it ready. We had to move some boxes with Steven's stuff out of it and into the hall, but it was usable in a pinch. Karen calmed herself down by focusing on teaching Vinny and Thisbe how to properly set a table. Both were in good moods which always meant they were ready to help. They liked that, being helpful, having little tasks. I thought it was cute most of the time, but I was honestly still tired and just wanted to get the night done with.

"I take it's been awhile since you've seen him?"

Karen glanced at me before at the children would were setting the knifes, forks, and spoons in the right places at each chair. Sighing, she said, "Years. He and Joseph don't get along well."

"The two of you don't seem to get along well," I responded.

"No one gets along with a drunk, Auden, but another drunk."

"So I can I assume that he gets along well with his grandsons?"

She just gave me a look. "Auden."

I smiled at her, but didn't get a chance to respond as it was then that Joseph came into the room. He just went over to his wife, giving her another kiss.

"Dad's staying with us."

"What? Joseph-"

"It's my father, Karen."

"He's abandoned you before. Abandon him."

His eyes grew dark. "Kar-"

"He's extremely rude to me."

"You haven't seen him since-"

"He keeps imply that you're the father of Auden's child."

"What?"

She just stared at him. "Why is he here?"

"I'm honestly shocked he ever knew how to get back here," her husband said with a shake of his head.

"You're shocked that he was able to get back to the town that he spent years upon years in?"

"You know what I meant, Karen."

She just sighed, glancing at me before over and Vinny and Thisbe, who had taken to trying to get the takeout boxes out of the bag. "Knock it off you two."

They just both giggled, running from the room now and back into the kitchen. Karen sighed, watching them for a moment before looking up at her husband.

"He is your father," she finally agreed.

"He is."

"And you wouldn't throw my father out."

"Well-"

His stomach got a soft elbow to it. "So this summer, perhaps Dad could come visit."

"K-"

"I'm so glad you agree. It's nice, you know, when we agree on something."

"You-"

"And my brother would love to come down."

"Stop it, Karen."

"I'm making a point, dear."

"And it's well received, believe me." He brushed his lips across her forehead again. "I won't let him say anything to you, Karen. I doubt he'll stay here long. Just passing through."

"He is far too old to be passing through. I thought he and that woman-"

"I don't know, Karen. He drove himself the whole way here or so he says."

She called Thisbe and Vinny back into the room before helping them climb into two of the chairs, right next to each other. To her husband, she said, "I won't have him drinking in this house."

"Neither will I. We have enough of that going on."

"None of that will be going on tonight." Karen looked at me as the front door opened. "Go tell the boys and their grandfather that dinner is ready, please."

I nodded at her before leaving the room. The tension, it's follows you. I swear.

"-seen you in awhile, sir." Steven was shaking his grandfather's hand when I walked into the living room causing me to roll my eyes have to hold down a gag. "How have you been?"

"Good, I've been, good." The old man was mostly focused on Eli. "You look like a girl, son."

Eli frowned at him, but just went to shake his hand as well. I could tell he wasn't that into it.

"I'm just growing my hair out," Eli told him, moving back away from his grandfather then. "What are you doing here, sir?"

"I can't come see my family?" He frowned as Jake moved to shake his hand. It wasn't firm like his brothers, but rather goofy. I could tell Steven revered his grandfather, Eli didn't care for him, and that Jake thought of him as he thought of everyone else; just someone to toy with.

"Hiya, Grandpa." Jake smiled brightly at me. "I didn't believe Eli when he said you were here. I was at work. Lucky me though, you were here so I knew where I was eating dinner. Right here with you."

"It's time to eat," I said then as Eli came to kiss my forehead. "We're eating in the dining room."

Jake helped his grandfather up. "Come on, Grandpa. You can sit down next to me."

"He's quite the child, isn't he?" I mumbled to Eli as I leaned into him.

"Jake's just being annoying," he told me simply as we headed into the dining room as well. The second we walked in there though, Vinny and Thisbe begged for us to get them drinks, so we headed back to the kitchen to do so.

"So, Granddad just showed up?" Eli was pouring the children Kool-Aid as I got myself some water.

"Yeah. I was sleeping and there was a knock at the- Oh, and hey, do not just leave me somewhere like that."

"I didn't leave you. You knew I was going and would be back."

"Still. You were gone for over an hour. And then your dad and kids left."

"You were sleeping. You were fine, safe. You didn't have to stay out on the couch though," he told me. "You knew my old bed's always open."

"Yeah, like I want to sleep in Vinny's bed."

"Good point."

We headed back into the dining room to find the others waiting for us to say grace. I just took a seat next to my sister, Eli having to be between Vinny and Steven. Glad I missed that one…

After grace, there was another awkward beat when the first thing Jake said was, "Wow, Mom. Make dinner often?"

"You mother makes dinner most every day," Joseph said, frowning at his youngest son. "If you have a problem with what we're eating, you can-"

"I was joking, Dad. Sheesh."

"You need to-"

"Joey." Karen laid a hand over his. "Honestly."

He took a deep breath before looking across the table at his father, both of them having sat on opposite ends at the head of the table. "I suppose I'm just a little high strung. Your…arrival has thrown me off, Dad."

James was scooping out the Chinese food on his plate, hardly listening. When he felt eyes on him, he looked up. "Eh?"

Vinny giggled, apparently liking that noise. "Eh?"

Thisbe laughed also, repeating the word as well. "Eh?"

"What are they saying?" Joseph's father frowned. "Who are they again?"

"Granddad, this is Auden, my girlfriend," Eli said then, looking over at me. "And that's her younger sister, Thisbe."

"Oh, and this is my son," Steven said, nodding over at Vinny. "Vincent, this is Dad's father."

Vinny just giggled some more, glancing over at his grandfather. "No. I know Grandpa's daddy. You're not Grandpa's daddy."

"Grandpa has two daddies," Karen tried, causing her husband to glare at her. "What?"

"You couldn't have phrased that better?"

"Like Mommy's friends," Thisbe told him, no doubt referring to some of Heidi's out of town friends. It seemed it was only Colby where gay wasn't okay. I was biting my tongue per usual, but it was more to hold in my laughter than anything else.

"Oh." Vinny nodded then before looking at Eli, wanting him to scoop some of the food out on his plate.

"No," Joseph said, frowning at them. "Not anything like that."

"I'm a good boy, Grandpa, unlike these too." Jake reached for the center of the table, taking one of the takeout boxes. "No kids at all."

"That we know of," I mumbled causing him to shoot me a look from across the table. "What?"

"Some of us know how to use protection."

"Knock it off." Joseph wasn't up for anyone else's problems that night, only his own. Karen was still stroking his hand, which was probably what was keeping him from kicking his youngest out like he usually would at that point. "Elijah wasn't my real father, Vinny. This is. Alright?"

He just nodded, no doubt picking up on the undertones on the conversation. Thisbe still giggled softly, which did make Joseph relax some, if only a little.

"Here, Aud." Eli grabbed one of the little takeout boxes and, after getting some himself, handed if off for me to get for Thisbe and myself.

"You can share this grandpa too," Vinny was telling Thisbe. "See, I gots too many."

"Oh."

He shrugged. "They just all like me so much that they wanna be my grandpas."

"Oh." Thisbe was watching as I dumped some fried rice on her plate. "What's this?"

"It's good is what it is," Eli told her, making the little girl giggle again.

"You all live here?" James asked then, looking around the table. "With your parents?"

"No," Eli said. "I just came over. Thisbe doesn't either. Or Auden."

"Who?"

Steven just ignored that question. "I do, Grandpa. With my son. And then Jake's never left."

"I leave," Jake defended. "Not for more than two weeks at a time, but-"

"No, Dad," Joseph said, sighing. "They don't all live here."

"Where have you been staying, James?" Karen asked him then, removing her hand from her husband as she moved to get her own food. "Are you no longer with-"

"I don't live nowhere. Your brother, your sisters. None of them will take me." The old man shook his head at Joseph. "It isn't right. Treat your father that way. You think these boys wouldn't take you- Where's the girl?" He looked around suddenly. "Your daughter?"

"I told you, Dad, they don't still all live with me." Joseph sighed. "Linda doesn't live in Colby. She has her own family now."

"Eh?"

"Eh?" Vinny giggled. "I like this grandpa better than you, Grandpa. Thisbe can have you and Grandma."

"You have got to learn to be quieter." Steven laid a hand on his son head, making the boy laugh some more.

"Then you need a place to stay?" Karen asked her father-in-law, clearly wanting to get back on topic. "James?"

"What do ya mean I need a place to stay?" The man glared at her. His eyes looked wild to begin with, but this was just over kill. "I'm staying here with my boy."

Karen blinked. Then she looked to her husband. "Is that so?"

"Dad, there's really no room here for-"

"You can stay with me, Grandpa!" Vinny cut Joseph off, smiling at his new found grandparent. "Thisbe stays with me lots. You can too."

"Vinny, I was serious about being quiet." Steven frowned down at his son. "When adults are talking-"

"Leave him alone, Steven," Karen sighed before looking at her grandson. "You're just excited, aren't you, Vinny?"

"Yes," he said, nodding his head.

"Well, that's good, but try to keep it in, huh? And if you're able to maybe you and Thisbe can have some ice cream la-"

"We'll be good!"

"Yeah!"

"So," Karen tried again after things had calmed down once again. "You drove all the way down here, James. Where did you come from?"

He was still suspicious of her though. Knowing that Karen hardly got along with Joseph's close family, it didn't shock me that she seemed to hate his estranged father. "I don't see it as your business."

"Joseph."

He sighed as he cast a glance at his wife before across the table at his father. "Karen's only trying to be friendly, Dad. And if you can't get along with my wife while you're here-"

"Unbelievable." The man shook his head. "You too then, boy? All of you, turn your back on your own-"

"You can stay with us," I said suddenly causing Eli to glare at me.

"What? Auden-"

"You've hardly been home recently, Eli," I told him. "Your grandfather can use the bedroom."

"Where would I sleep?"

"On the couch."

"What?"

"You're hardly ever there. It's-"

"It's unnecessary, Auden," Joseph said. "Dad will stay here, in Vinny's room."

"Joseph-"

"Vinny will sleep with his father or Jake or us," the man went on, talking right over his wife. "Until we can find a better place for you, Dad."

"Making a decision for the whole household, Joseph?"

"Karen-"

"You don't like the man anymore than me. Why are you just going to let him into our home?"

"He's my father, K-"

"He's been your father you're whole life. I can count on my fingers the numbers of times that he's been allowed to stay here."

"I don't want to do this in front of the-"

"No, Joseph, you don't want to do it at all. And we're not going to. Your father's going to stay here and if I say anything at all about it, you're going to make me look like a…jerk for saying anything."

"Karen, you know-"

"Let's not fight, right?' She glared hard at him before going back to her plate of food. "Let's just eat dinner as a family."

"Kare-"

"A family, Joseph. You know, a group of people that makes decisions as a whole?"

Everyone was mostly pretending to eat at that point except for the kids who were watching Joseph and Karen with interest. It wasn't unusual for them to see Karen snap at her husband, but it was odd to see him fight back. He rarely did in front of them. Then again, I think he rarely did at all.

"Look, Granny. Gambit came to eat too," Vinny said when Joseph wouldn't respond to her. The cat had walked into the dining room, no doubt intrigued by us using it.

"I'm sure he needs water," Karen said, standing then as she used the cat for her excuse. Joseph just rested his head in one of his hands, sighing slightly.

"Grandpa," Vinny complained. "You ain't supposed to keep your elbows up on the table."

"Vin-"

"You're right," Joseph said, cutting his oldest off as he sat up straight. "You almost always are though."

"I wouldn't go that far," Eli said tentatively, trying to get his father back in a jolly mood.

"I'm always right," Vinny told us. "Always."

Karen never came back to the table. Even when all the guys went off to the living room to watch TV, she didn't come back to help clean up. I really didn't want to clean up either, as I thought it was wrong of them to assume I should just for being a woman. Still, I did feel bad for Karen and I didn't want to make her job worse than what it was.

"Auden," Vinny said as I was turning on the water to start the dishes. "We wanna help you."

"You do?"

"Yeah." He and Thisbe were pulling over chairs to stand on so they could see over the countertop. "'cause we love you."

"Aw."

"And you're gonna get us ice cream, huh?" Thisbe was straight to the point. That's why I loved her so much though. "Auden?"

"After we finish, sure."

"We love you so much," Thisbe said then.

"Just because of the ice cream?"

"Mmmm…yes."

"No." Vinny shot my sister a look before staring up at me. "I think you're pretty, Auden. And nicer-er than Daddy and Uncle Eli."

"Aw." I smiled back at him. "But it would just be nicer, Vinny, not-"

"Never mind. I only like ya for the ice cream."

Sighing, I went back to the dishes. "Well-"

"Auden," I heard from behind me then. "You don't need to be doing those, sweetheart."

I didn't even look back as Karen came into the room. "Someone has to."

"Not you. I didn't make dinner tonight. I should-"

"You didn't even eat," I told her as I handed Vinny a plate to dry. He more or less just rubbed the dishrag into the center of the plate before handing it off to Thisbe. She kissed the plate before putting it in the rack to dry. Karen made a face when she saw this.

"Kids, come here. Do you want your ice cream now?" Karen was no doubt planning on distracting them from their duties with food. It worked immediately for my sister, who jumped off the chair and rushed over to her.

"Yes, please," she said, smiling at Karen.

"Vinny?" Karen went to the freezer. "Do you-"

"I'm helping Auden," he told her as I handed him another dish. "Because I love her."

Thisbe frowned over at Vinny and I, but ultimately, ice cream is ice cream. "I want chocolate."

"Of course, sweetie," Karen said, smiling over at Vinny. "Vinny, Auden's done doing the dishes. I'm going to do them."

"Oh." He jumped off his stool. "Then I want my ice cream now."

"Of course you do," she sighed with a shake of her head. "Do you want chocolate or-"

"What are you doing, Karen? I thought you were going to bed?"

She hardly looked up as her husband came into the room. "What gave you that idea, Joseph?"

"I thought perhaps it would be better for you tonight. To just take a bath and relax."

"I had to do the dishes, we have guests, I-"

"We don't have guests, Karen. Eli and Auden are going home soon."

"I wasn't speaking about them."

He let out a long breath. "Regardless, Karen, I'll do the dishes."

"Oh, don't pretend because your father's here, Joseph."

"Karen-"

"I'm doing them," I reiterated to the two of them.

Vinny growled, looking back at me. "Are you or ain't you? 'cause I'mma eat my ice cream. I don't wanna help no mores."

"That's fine, Vinny."

"I'm doing the dishes," Joseph told me then. "Karen is going to go-"

"Oh, you think you cannot only allow people into my house without my permission, but also tell me what I'm doing in my house?"

"Our house."

"Then why isn't it our decision?"

"Fine, Karen." Joseph shook his head at her. "Go tell that brittle old man to leave. Send him out into the world."

"Thank you." She headed to the living room, but he caught her arm before she could make it. "Let-"

"You know as well as I do you're not kicking him out."

"Let me go."

He didn't though, instead just moving to wrap an arm around her. "In the morning, Karen, he and I will discuss finding him a more permanent place to stay. Alright?"

"I don't like you right now, Joseph."

"No," he agreed, kissing her head. "You don't. But you love me. And that's all that matters."

* * *

"Wish you'd do my fucking dishes."

"Shut up, Eli," I said, rolling my eyes as we sat down on the couch. "I'm just glad to be home."

"Mmmm." He sat down next to me before grabbing the remote. "Tomorrow is the-"

"Yes, I know," I sighed. "The kids really wanted to come home with us."

"We couldn't," he told me. "With us having to be gone so early in the morning and all."

"Heidi seemed happy to have them both over."

"I think she's just excited to find out the sex of our baby."

"Probably more than we are."

"Mmmm."

I leaned into him slightly as he threw an arm around my shoulders. "Your mom sure is pissed."

"Her and Granddad don't get along well."

"I could tell."

"He's kind of…abrasive."

"I could tell that too." I looked up at him. "When I answered the door, he thought that I was your father's new wife."

Eli frowned. "What?"

"He kept driving the point home too, in front of your mom. It made her upset."

"He's kind of…well…a douche."

"Must be in the blood."

"You kid, Aud," he mumbled as he flipped through the channels. "But you know I'm the only man you could ever be with."

"Especially when I get to see the money brought home from this new job."

"You just wait, babe. No more off brand toilet paper. I'm going real brand."

"I don't even…I'm just so…in shock."

"Yep. You can stop using the gas station bathroom."

"It'll be wonderful."

"And the ketchup?"

I gave a fake gasp. "We'll start buying actual ketchup instead of stealing packets from restaurants? Like a literal bottles? We'd be real high class then."

"Fuck no. What do I look like? Like I have an actual salary or something?" Eli shook his head. "I meant we'll have more packets. Now I can just steal them from work. And let me tell you, Fry King has some great ketchup."

"You don't say."

"It even says fancy on the packets."

"I think most of them do."

"You sure?"

"Pretty."

"Well I am flabbergasted."

"…Word of the day?"

"Word of the day."

Snuggling into him, I said, "I think I'm in love with you, Mr. Stock."

"Yeah, babe, don't call me that after just telling me that my grandfather thinks you're with my father. Totally screws with my mind."

I made a face. "Can you believe that he really thought that…I let Joseph get my pregnant?"

"God, shut up, shut up."

"How sick is that to think about?"

"Shut up. I don't want to. You just heard me tell you to shut up."

"Even just the thought of him and your mother makes me-"

"Am I going to have to gag you?"

"Yes, Mr. St-"

"I'll murder you."

"I don't even think your dad still-"

"Shut up, Auden. And he's not that old. God."

"Just…ew."

He let out a long sigh as he settled on some cartoon. "Oh, and for the record, Granddad can't stay here."

"I was just trying to be helpful."

"I know. Knock it off."

"Eli-"

"He won't be around long, Granddad. He never is. Dad and him will be in a fight by tomorrow, promise you. They always are."

"He left him, right? That's what Karen said?"

Eli shrugged. "When he was a kid, him and Grandma divorced. He just moved away."

"You're defending him."

"Auden-"

"My dad never sees Thisbe and you hate him for it. Because you love your grandfather, you're making excuses for what he did to your father."

"I don't _love_ him. Not in that way. I love my grandparents. My real grandparents. My mom's parents and my dad's mother and his stepfather. I don't know Granddad well. Just that he's mean." Eli shook his head. "He's just an old man though, Auden. He lived a hard life too, I'm sure. He's just hard shelled. War vet. Divorced, like, three times. Never satisfied. It's sad, really. I feel bad for him more than I hate him. An old bitter man. How sad is that?"

"Self caused, I'm sure."

"You're so heartless."

"I'm real, Eli. Everyone has a shit life growing up. Leaving your kids though? I don't like that."

"I don't either, but-"

"Your parents never divorced, Eli. God, did they even ever separate for some amount of time?"

"Well, not that I know of, no."

"Then see? You don't know what it's like suddenly having one parent gone, like you didn't matter to them at all. You don't get that."

"Like you're some expert."

"I'm not," I admitted. "My dad left me when I was older. It still hurt though. And it's going to screw Vinny up, the way they keep carting him back and forth. Steven and Kelly are terrible."

"Auden-"

"Steven never sees Taylor or Jordan. And then they treat Vinny like a prop that can be shoved around, used to anger the other one." I shivered against him slightly. "Never do that to our kid. Okay?"

"Of course not. I love-"

"You don't think Steven didn't say the same thing to Kelly? Every guy to every woman?"

"What about the women? You don't think Kelly's innocent in this, do you?"

"Heck no. I don't think she's innocent of any crime. I would love to just slander her completely and put the full blame on her."

"Wouldn't we all."

"Steven's still wrong though."

"Everyone screws up as parents, Auden."

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah."

"What did your parents do to you then that screwed you up?"

"…Babied us," he said after a moment. "Jake, me, Steven. They treated us like children."

"It's funny," I whispered. "'cause mine did the exact opposite."

"Maybe we'll be good together then, raising a kid," Eli said. "Two extremes meeting in the middle."

"Or we'll fuck the kid up even worse."

"Or that," he agreed as I nuzzled into him. "Can't wait to find out though."

"Neither can I."


	4. Chapter 4

Fresh Start

Chapter 4

"You bought a grill."

"Ah-ah. A _miniature_ grill."

I just stared blankly at my older brother for a moment. "And why exactly did you buy a g-" I stopped when he gave me a look. "Why did you buy a miniature grill?"

"Because there's nothing like burgers made at home."

Still I just stood there, staring hard at my brother's back. I had just gotten home from work after spending the whole morning in class. Honestly, the last thing on my mind was whether or not Hollis had a stupid grill. I really didn't care. At all.

"Whatever. I'm going to-"

"You're going to sit there while I grill our burgers," he said, taking a step back from my counter. "And then you're going to eat it along with the fries I made."

"You made fries?"

"I'm making them. Frozen. They're in the oven as we speak."

I just let out a long groan. "You're really getting on my nerves."

"Sit, Auden," he said, nodding at one of those stupid bar stools Eli had given me as a housewarming gift. "Sit and enjoy."

"The only thing I'm going to enjoy right now, Hollis, is going to bed."

"Bed? It's only nine."

"Exactly. I have work in the morning and-"

'And that is all the more reason for you to enjoy yourself now."

"I would be enjoying myself."

"Sleep is not enjoyment. Sleep is a necessary part of life. You don't enjoy the necessary parts of life I mean, God, do you enjoy pooping? No. You just do it because you have to."

I blinked, taking a moment to think before responding.

"Eating is a necessary part of life. Why should I take enjoyment out of it?"

"Because, Auden," he began, not missing a beat. "You can make it enjoyable. Tasty. My burgers will be tasty and you will eat one, damn it."

Again, he only got my wary stare.

"Will it be soon?"

"Yes."

"Can I at least go to the bathroom first?"

"Are you pooping?"

"Hol-"

"Go," he told me, shaking his head as he went to open the oven. "You're no fun anyways."

I gave him a look behind his back before heading off to my destination. I really wanted to take a shower, but felt like he would get upset with me if I did. Instead, I just washed up before heading back out there. He was still standing by the counter though, doing something. Rolling my eyes, I headed into the bedroom to make a phone call.

"Hello?"

"Hollis bought a grill."

"What?"

"One of those tiny ones. You know. That the boxing guy sells."

"…A George Foreman grill?"

"Yes. He bought one of those and is currently grilling us burgers. Oh, and there's fries in the oven."

Again, my boyfriend paused on the other end. "Why did you call me again?"

"Because I got chewed out at work by this jerk customer, got horrible tips the whole night, and then I came home to my stupid brother-"

"Are you crying? Over this?"

"No," I insisted, sniffling slightly. "I'm just…emotional."

"Over a grill?"

"And being yelled at."

"Is this a pregnancy thing or-"

"I don't know! I just wanted to call you and-"

"Calm down."

"Don't tell me to-"

"Take a breath, Aud. Sheesh."

"You take a breath."

"Seriously, Auden, calm down. God. I'm at work."

It was my turn to pause. "What work?"

"The bike shop, but-"

"Then it doesn't matter."

"Considering we're at the start of our busy season, I would say it matters."

Huffing, I then said, "Can you come down here?"

"What?"

"Yeah. Can you come see me this weekend? I have work. I can't-"

"So do I, Auden. I can't just go down there. You know that."

"Yeah," I sighed as Hollis called out for me from the kitchen. "I know."

"Besides, it's probably best I'm not there."

"Why's that?"

"Because your brother's there."

"The two of you are going to have to learn to get along eventually."

"Yeah, sure, right."

"You do, Eli."

"Yeah, Aud? I have to go. Just got a new customer. I'll call you tonight, alright? I mean, later tonight."

I frowned. "You got a customer at nine at night?"

"Huh?"

"You're not at work, are you?"

"…You're breaking up. I have to-"

"Are you with your brother? Are you guys drinking? Eli-"

"Love you. Bye."

I of course immediately tried to call him back after Eli hung the phone up on me, but it didn't work out as he had turned his phone off. Great. Douchebag.

"Alright, Auden. You want cheese on your- What's wrong with you?" my brother asked as I came back into the kitchen. It wasn't hard to see that I wasn't happy. "Auden?"

"Eli hung up the phone on me after lying about where he was."

"Ah."

"Ah?"

"Yes. Ah."

"What does-"

"He's cheating on you."

"Wait, what?"

"He's cheating on you and doesn't want you to find out." Hollis turned back to the counter then. "So yes cheese or no cheese? 'cause it ain't a cheese burger without cheese. Then it's just a burger."

"Wait, shut up."

"Alright then, shutting up."

"No, I meant stop talking about cheese."

"Can do that too."

I held up a hand as my brother just stared at me, a slice of cheese poised over what I could only assume to be my burger. He was such a dork.

"What do you mean Eli's cheating on me?"

"Why else would he do that?" Hollis finally just drooped the cheese on the patty, apparently deciding to just make an executive decision. "Now, ketchup or-"

"Eli is not cheating on me."

"Fine," he said with a slight shrug of his shoulders. "Eli is not cheating on you. Now, mustard or-"

"No, Hollis. Say it back to me."

"It."

"Hollis-"

"Look, Auden, I'm not saying for certain that he is or he isn't. I do know though that when I hang up on a girl like that when we're in a middle of a conversation, it's because I don't want her to find something out."

"Right," I said, nodding my head. "Eli doesn't want me to know that he was drinking."

"Did he sound drunk?"

"Well, no, but-"

"Not to mention, why would he care if you know or not? He's never said that he's going to quit cold turkey, right? You said that he's just not drinking whiskey anymore. He can still drink beer, right?"

"Well, yes, but-"

"Aud, babe, he's screwing around on you." He just shrugged as he went over to the tray on top of the oven with his stupid fries on it. "You want fries?"

"Hollis-"

"Auden, you're pregnant currently."

"So?"

"So, you're probably not as interesting to him."

"Excuse me?"

"Not to mention the two of you live apart. I'm shocked you're just now realizing that he's doing it."

"Why are you-"

"It's alright, Auden. God If he is cheating on you, then what can you do? Nothing. Just eat my wonderful burgers and fries."

I still just stared at him. "He's not, Hollis."

"Alright. He's not. I really don't care that much."

"You don't care if my boyfriend's cheating on me?"

"No, not at all."

"Then-"

"I don't like Eli, Auden. I don't like that you're going to move in with him when the school year ends."

"I never said-"

"Oh, I know you are." He shook his head. "Mom and I were talking-"

"You and her are on speaking terms again?" She had cut him off after he told her about the whole fantasy writer thing.

"Of course," he said with a confident nod of his head. "Mom loves me."

"Right," I mumbled, shaking my head.

"Anyways, we were talking and both decided that it would be probably best if you, you know, went back home."

"For?" I asked, frowning slightly.

"Because, Auden, we all know that you and Eli aren't going to last past this whole pregnancy stint." He had gotten the ketchup out of the fridge and was now covering his fries with it. "So we just thought that you should move back home with her and Dad."

"I don't-"

"Because of the baby, Auden," he said, nodding his head. "Dad'll even give up his study so that you can have a nursery."

"What?"

"It's all been decided. So when your lease is up, you can-"

"I am not moving back home, Hollis."

"You say that now," he said, shaking his head. "But you're going to need help with the baby. And Mom-"

"I'm moving to Colby when the baby's born to be with Eli and his family. It's already been decided."

"You're being rather difficult about this, aren't you?" He sighed. "I thought we had already decided that Eli's cheating on you?"

"He's not cheating on me! God, how could you say that? You're my brother. You shouldn't take so much joy out of-"

"I'm not, Auden. I'm just-"

"I don't want your stupid burger." I turned then, heading out of the kitchen and back to my bedroom. "You're a jerk, Hollis. I knew us living together wouldn't work out. I hate you."

"Auden, you really should-"

I just closed my bedroom door behind me, locking it.

I hate him. I really, really do.

* * *

The sound of my phone ringing woke me up. I just rolled over in bed, mumbling something sleepily. The phone wouldn't stop though until I finally reached over to my bedside table and picked it up.

"Hello?" I mumbled into my cell as my bleary eyes adjusted to the darkness in my bedroom.

"Your brother's a fucking psycho. And if he ever calls me again, I'll-"

"Eli?"

"Yeah. And your-"

"What time is it?" I sat up, looking at my alarm clock. "It's almost three in the morning. What are you-"

"I told you I'd call you tonight when I got the chance."

I wasn't too focused on him now though as I continued to stare at my side table where a plate sat, a burger and fries a top it. How had Hollis gotten into my bedroom? Frowning, I reached out to grab one of the fries, my growling stomach outweighing the hatred of cold food.

"What did Hollis do to you, exactly?" I asked, moving to lay back down.

"He freaking called my phone and left this long message about how he'll gut me or some shit for what I did to you. What the heck did I do to you? Knock you up?'

I frowned. "You have quite the way with words, don't you, Eli?"

"What did I do to you, Auden?" he repeated, not amused. "Because if that freak ever calls me again, I'll-"

"Hollis thought that you were, you know." I couldn't get it out now, blushing slightly as my brother and my fight came back to me.

"I know what?"

"He thought that you were cheating on me," I clarified, coughing slightly.

"What?"

"You hung up on me so suddenly and-"

"I was at a party, Auden. God. How could you-"

"I didn't think that. I figured you were drinking or something and didn't want me to know." I huffed slightly, my anger coming back as my weariness fled. "Never hang up on me like that again, Eli."

"I was being funny. It was a joke."

"Bull."

"Baby, it's late. Were you asleep?'

"Yeah," I sighed as I reached over to grab another fry. "I was."

"I'm sorry. Do you…want me to go? Or keep talking? 'cause, Aud, there's no way I'm cheating on you. Whose am I?"

"Mine."

"Exactly. You can write your name in sharpie on my body if you want. Mark me. I'm in this for the long haul. You know that you're the last woman I have been with since Belissa. And even then, I hadn't been with her months before. You're my last, baby. I've told you that before. You're all I care about. You and my baby in your tummy."

"Your baby?"

"My little baby."

Running a hand down my stomach, I said, "He's been kicking."

Eli chuckled slightly. "Oh?"

"Yeah."

"I want to be there so badly. Or have you here. Either would be fine."

"I feel the same way."

"You know though that we-"

"Yeah, I know."

"If I could, baby-"

"It's fine."

"I just want to be with you, you know?"

"I know."

"Life sucks."

"It does," I agreed.

"So how did your brother's burger turn out anyways?" Eli asked after a moment or two of silence.

"I don't know."

"You didn't eat one?"

"No. We got into a fight about, you know, him saying that you were cheating or whatever."

"Oh." Eli paused again, though this time he got right back on track. "Did you eat at all tonight, Auden?"

"Since it's three in the morning, it would be last night."

"Auden-"

"I am right now," I said, turning to grab the plate off the side table and set it on the bed next to me. "Promise."

"For some reason I don't fully believe you."

"That's because you're a horrible boyfriend."

"Aud-"

"I seriously am about to eat this. He left it out for me. The burger and fries."

"It's been a few hours."

"Duh."

"Go heat it up, doofus, is what I meant."

"I don't feel like getting up," I told him as I settled into the bed once more. "I'll just eat it cold."

"You really shouldn't be eating so late."

"Do you want me to eat it or not, Eli? Because-"

"Yeah, I do," he cut me off. "I just wish you'd start taking better care of yourself."

"What?"

"You know what. You are carrying around our baby, Auden. You have to eat."

"I do eat, thank you very much. And for your information, Eli, what I do with my body isn't any of your business."

"It is when you have my son inside that body."

I snorted. "Tell you what, Eli. The second you start taking care of yourself, which means no drinking and partying, I'll start to take what you think into consideration."

"You-"

It was finally my turn to hang up on him as well as turn the phone off. Can't say I'm too proud of myself, but I can say that I wasn't too upset by it either. Not enough so to actually turn my phone back on. So basically I won.

…Right?

* * *

"I dunno. I kind of feel like I still like being a blonde, You know? But part of me also liked being brunette. So I don't really-"

"Do you think that Eli's cheating on me?"

Maggie frowned as she looked up from the magazine in her lap. We were both seated on my couch, neither having work or classes to preoccupy us. I was nearly certain that Maggie had a date later though so I knew that my time with her was limited.

"Run that one by me again?"

"You heard me."

"Why would you think-"

"Hollis said-"

"Right. Your brother that hates your boyfriend told you."

I gave her a look. "Hollis sounded very sincere."

"I'm sure he did, the little pot head."

"You don't even know my brother."

"I know him well enough," she said, shaking her head as she looked back down at her magazine. "And no, to answer your first question."

"Really?"

"Yeah, Auden. God. Why do you even think that? What did Eli do to bring this on?"

"I called him last night and he told me that he was at work, but then I realized that he couldn't be at work and then he just hung up on me and turned his phone off."

"Really?"

"Yeah."

She shrugged slightly. "He was probably just drinking or something."

"That's what I thought," I told her. "But then when he called me back, he sounded sober."

"When did he get around to calling you?"

"Three in the morning."

'What? Why didn't you tell me this before?"

"I-"

"He's totally fooling around on you."

"Maggie."

"Well, not totally," she said, shaking her head. "But this definitely requires further investigation."

"Investigation?"

"Yeah."

"And what would that entail?"

"Call Jake."

"Why would I-"

"Ask him about it."

'Jake is Eli's brother. Not to mention he's also a horrible person," I added as she nodded her head. We were both in agreement about that. "He wouldn't tell me the truth."

"That's the whole point, Auden."

"What?"

She sighed as she glanced up from her magazine. "Jake is a horrible person granted and will lie to you if there was something going on."

"Then what-"

"You know what else he's horrible at?" She didn't wait for me to answer. It wasn't such a vague question after all and the answers were limitless. "Lying."

"What?"

"He is. I dated him all through high school. Jake Stock can't lie to save his own life." She shook her head slightly. "He honestly can't."

"If I call Jake though, he'll tell Eli and then Eli will think that I don't trust him."

"And?"

"And if he's telling the truth, he'll be upset about me."

"Good point." She shook her head slightly. "I don't-"

"Unless you call him."

"What?"

"Yeah," I said, nodding now at her. "You can call him and then ask him so that it will seem like you want to know."

"Why would I want to know?"

"Try because you're a concerned friend?"

"Try again."

"Please, Maggie?"

"And again."

"I'm pregnant and will cry until you do that."

"Bingo." With a loud sigh, she sat her magazine to the side before fishing her phone out of her pocket. "I just want you to go ahead and tell me that that forever cements my place in your list of greatest friends to ever live."

"Trust me, it's not hard to get on that list."

"Jake Stock is the last person I ever wanted to speak to again." She shivered for effect. "I mean, God."

"You guys have to learn to get along eventually."

"And why is that?"

"Because you want to be my baby's aunt, right?"

"It's not want, Auden. I am."

"Well, he's actually his uncle, so-"

"So what? Don't mean anything to me." She shook her head as she went through the contacts on her phone. I was slightly shocked to know that Jake was still in those anyways. "He's going to be a horrible uncle where as I'll be the funniest aunt ever."

"Yeah, sure."

"Anyways, here's his number," she said as she pressed a button on her phone. "What exactly should I ask him?"

"I don't know, Maggie. You're the one that told me we should call him."

"That was when you were going to be the one doing the calling."

"Just hurry it up." When she glared at me, I added on, "Please?"

She just shook her head, hand sliding across the touchscreen of her phone. "Give me a second, alright?"

I nodded, watching as she put the phone to her ear. "Be casual."

"I haven't talked to him in over a year, Auden. There will be nothing casual about this."

"Jake's stupid though. He'll probably think that you want to get back together."

She made a gagging noise. "Hope not. We'll never find out though if he never freaking picks up the damn- Oh, hey, Jake."

Rolling my eyes, I shifted on the couch to study her face full on.

"It's me, silly," she went on, her rolling eyes contradicting her playful tone. "Maggie. Duh."

There was a pause as Jake no doubt spoke. Maggie just sat there looking bored while toying with a stray string on the hem of her shirt.

"Yeah, I was just, you know, checking on," she went on when Jake probably paused. "You know, on you and stuff. What have you been up to lately?" She shook her head slightly, clearly annoyed with their whole interaction. "You don't say. Working at Fry King? Wow. That's great. I wasn't asking about Eli though, silly. I was asking about you. …Oh, you still just work at Abe's Bikes? That's cool. Auden doesn't mention you much, you know, and I just worry."

I elbowed her. "Don't tell him that."

She gave me a look, but stayed focused on the conversation at hand. "Yeah, I was thinking about you too, Jake. I miss you more than you miss me, I'm sure. Oh come on, I totally do. I mean, I'm up here with all these new guys when you get to stay at home with the same old people. I wish I was there with- No!" She suddenly shot up. "I can't come see you. I'm sorry. No. I just wanted to check up on you and see what you've- Yes, I'm aware that Adam is coming back for spring br- No, that's not why I- No, Jake. God. What kind of girl do you take me for?"

Not a very good one apparently.

"So anyways," Maggie started again, roll her eyes again. "Have you gone to any parties recently? You know, with Wallace and the others? Oh, yeah, really? Was there one last night?"

I was staring hard at her now, waiting for some kind of distortion in her face that would tip me off to there never having been a party and my boyfriend cheating on me.

"No, Jake, I am not trying to keep tabs on you," she said then, frowning deeply. "I just wanted to know- You know what? Fine. Fine, Jake. Just tell me where you- No, I won't sleep with you if you- Don't curse at me you- I'm hanging up, you stupid-" She stopped, turning to look at me then. "He hung up on me."

"God, Maggie," I groaned, moving to lean back against the couch then. "Can you do one thing right?"

"Oh, so what? You wanted me to sleep with Jake Stock to-"

"Why do you keep using his full first name? God, it's annoying."

"You're annoying."

"Maggie," I moaned as I laid a hand over my stomach. She just sighed, reaching over to pat my arm.

"Have no fear, Auden," she said. "Change of plans."

"What?"

"It was stupid to go through Jake. He's an idiot."

Couldn't argue with that one.

"You know who's not an idiot though?"

"Who?"

"Heidi."

I made a face at her. "No, Maggie. You cannot-"

"Too late. Already texting her."

"Mag-"

"She'll find out for us," Maggie said. "She's very into all the gossip around town. If Eli is cheating on you, she'll know. And it won't be pretty for him if he is regardless of whether it's me or Heidi's wrath he faces. So why not let it be hers?"

"Maggie-"

"Chill, Auden. See?" She held up her phone to me. "She already sent me a text- Uh-oh. She says that she wants you to call her. Now."

"See what you do?"

"I'm helping," she complained, handing me her phone. "Here, just call her on my cell."

Glaring at my best friend as she went to pick back up her magazine like nothing was wrong, I took the phone before doing as suggested. The last person I ever wanted involved in this was Heidi. I mean, God, I didn't trust her to keep murder a secret, much less the fact that I thought my boyfriend was messing around on me.

And it should be pointed out that I don't even think that. I don't. I'm just covering my bases. That's all.

"Maggie, you had better put Auden on this phone right-"

"It's me, Heidi," I said as soon as she picked up. "I'm with Maggie. I-"

"You saw him with a woman or what? Did someone tell you something? Information now. I will hunt that chick down-"

"Calm down. I don't even-"

"How can he do this to us, Auden?"

"Us?"

"I mean, God. He's gotten you pregnant, made Thisbe think that he's going to be around forever- Oh, God, Thisbe. This is going to kill her. This-"

"Heidi, I don't even know if he is or not. He just was acting weird yesterday and Hollis thought-"

"Hollis is probably right. I bet it's that Sally girl."

I frowned. "Sally?"

"She's this whore that- Oh, Auden, I really have to go. I'm sure Maggie can tell you about her. I have a customer. I'll take care of his cheating ass though. Love you. Bye."

I just frowned as she hung up on me. I had only mentioned the cheating thing to Maggie as a conversation topic. I didn't want all this. I just knew Heidi would screw everything up in that overly dramatic way she had.

"Well?" Maggie prompted, elbowing me gently. "What did Heidi say?"

I just glared at her. "You're really proud of yourself, aren't you?"

"Completely."

"What really gets to me is that you have no plans of going down to Colby with me next week and seeing the aftermath of what you caused."

"Not in the slightest."

"You get to me sometimes."

"All best friends do."

* * *

"So you think this kid will have your eyes?"

"I don't know, Hollis."

"'cause it'd be cool if he did. Then he'd have my eyes essentially."

"I thought you were writing."

"It's so boring." He was on the opposite end of the couch, his laptop in his lap. "I think I have writer's block."

"You are Dad's son. Give it a few years. Then hopefully you'll break it."

"Ha ha."

"I'm being serious."

"Writing is so hard though, Auden," Hollis went on though. "All the ends and outs, the intricate details. It's far too much for a normal person. Of course, I'm not a normal person."

"Of course not."

"I am far superior over most people."

"I'm sure."

He sent a sly grin my way. "So what are you going to do anyways?"

"What do you mean?"

"You know," he said, looking straight at me then. "You're majoring in English. What are you going to do with that? I mean, I know what Mom and Dad probably hope you're going to do with that, but-"

"I'm minoring in business though," I reminded him. "I'll probably try to get a job revolving around that and then work my way into writing. I have a kid to worry about, you know?"

"What kind of job opportunities are there in Colby though?"

It was my turn to look at him, though I was more of glaring than anything else. "Aren't you the one that thought I should move back to Lakeview with Mom and Dad?"

"Well, yeah, I said that, but I never thought you'd take me seriously."

"What?"

"I know that you're going to move down there with that drunk and his family. For a little while anyways. Then, when you come to your senses, you might come home or might move far away. I'm just trying to help you keep your options open, Auden."

"And I thank you for that, but I think that I pretty much have what I'm going to do down pat, thanks."

"Oh yeah? And what is that exactly?"

"Heidi told me that if I move down there right after I have the baby, she'll let me work at her shop."

He frowned. "Are you serious?"

"Well, it's a start."

"And you really think that you needed a minor in business for that?"

"Shut up."

"I'm serious, Auden, you-"

"And what about you, Hollis?"

"What about me?"

"You're doing nothing with your life."

"I'm not pregnant, Auden," he told me gently. "You are. Not to mention, I am doing something."

"Oh yeah? And what would that be?"

"Clearly writing the next great American novel."

Sighing, I shifted on the couch. "You're really something, you know that?"

"I am something, aren't I? A great author."

"Yeah, sure."

"I am, Auden. I have it in me. Not to mention I used to get rave reviews from all of my teachers when I would turn a paper in."

"Being good at writing an essay does not make you good at writing a novel, Hollis."

"I know that," he told me, frowning. "But I'm good at that too. Fantasy. I have a rich life experience that allows me to extend those trials and tribulations into writing."

"Rich life experiences," I repeated slowly, as if not understand.

"Yep."

"A rich life experience would be growing up without a father, being poor, having a stripper for a mother. Something that shaped you into what you are. Having parents that fund all of your misadventures in Europe isn't a rich life experience. It's just a rich life. You've lived a rich life. A wealthy life. That in no way qualifies you to claim you have a rich life experience. At least not in the way that you're using the word rich."

"Oh? And you're so much more disadvantaged?" Hollis shook his head as he went back to his laptop. "They weren't misadventures anyways, Auden. They were bouts of self-expression."

"And you expressed yourself into many college-aged girls, didn't you?"

"And you're so much better?" He snorted. "Slumming it with Eli?"

"Eli and I aren't 'slumming it'," I said, air quotes and all. "We're living life without our mommies and daddies helping us. You should try it sometime. It's stellar."

"Stellar. Right. Mom was paying your rent for how long?"

"She's not anymore and that's what matters," I told him. "Eli and I are going to do this whole baby thing alone."

"Alone. Right. Sure. I'll see how long that lasts."

"Why are you such a dick, Hollis?"

"Why are you so easily offended, Auden?"

I almost got up and left, but then I decided that no, I wouldn't. It was my apartment, not his. I was just letting him stay with me. And if he hadn't been so generous with his food and cash, I wouldn't even be doing that. Because Hollis and I just don't get along anymore. Maybe that's a curse of my parents families. None of them got along with their immediate family. Why should we be any different?

* * *

"So you decided to sic the dogs on me?"

"What?"

"You know exactly what I'm talking about, Auden."

"All I know is that I'm getting ready for work and don't really feel like hearing you rant."

"You told Heidi that I was cheating on you, you had Maggie call Jake-"

"How do you know that had anything to do with it?"

"Why else would she call him? Besides, Maggie called me too."

"What?"

"And Heidi won't leave me alone."

"I didn't-"

"You should be ashamed of yourself," Eli went on as if I didn't just speak.

"Me?"

"Yes, you. Slandering my good name-"

"Okay, first off, there was no slandering to be had. Who's Sally?"

"What?"

"Heidi mentioned-"

"Just someone that lives in Colby. I'm sure you've met her."

"I'm sure I haven't."

"I'm sure you're just misremembering."

"I'm sure I'm not."

"I'm sure-"

"I'm sure that you had better stop starting your sentences that way, Eli."

He took a deep breath as I continued to pull my work clothes out of my closet. It was about two days later and I was trying to get ready for work. Leave it to Eli to make that overly complicated.

"Do you really think that I am, Auden? Huh? Because I don't think you do. I think you're making a mountain out of a…out of a…"

"Mole hill?"

"Do moles have hills?"

"Eli, focus."

"Right. I think that you're overreacting basically because you're bored."

"Bored," I repeated.

"Yeah. You haven't been down here to see me in a while and that it's getting to you," he went on. "I mean, you have nothing to do down there all day other than stress about the next time you're coming to see me."

"Stress about coming to see you."

"Well, yeah. I mean, you don't have any friends or any-"

"I'm about to hang up on you."

"Isn't that what got us here in the first place, Auden?"

"No, you being secretive is what got us here, Eli."

"I am not being secretive. God. I can't believe that you think-"

"Hollis told me that you don't think I'm…"

"That you're not what?"

"You know," I mumbled, embarrassed again. "Attractive."

"Your brother is weighing your attractiveness?" I could hear the disdain in his tone through the phone. "Do I need to go down there, Auden? Because the two of you-"

"God, Eli, he just told me that you won't, like, want me or whatever because I'm preg-"

"Why is your brother such a dick?"

"I know right?"

He just sighed. "What do I have to do, Auden, to prove it to you? That I'm not cheating on you? That I'm still into you? Because this Maggie and Heidi shit is going to stop."

"I didn't mean for Heidi to get involved. Maggie-"

"I can't believe that you told them something stupid that your bother said. God, you know as well as I do that Hollis is an idiot. A big idiot."

"I know, but-"

"When are you coming to see me, Auden? Because clearly that's the only way this is all going to get resolved."

"Friday, I hope. After-"

"Good. Come then. Alright?"

"Alright."

"And don't listen to your brother so much. He's, like, the dumbest person I've ever met. To think that I'm not into you anymore. The prick."

I paused for a moment, staring into my closet while thinking. I knew that Eli no doubt had other things to be doing at the moment (Drinking, playing videogames, etc.), but I really didn't want to let him go. I wanted to stay on the phone with him for a while. And by a while, I definitely mean forever. Or at least something close to it.

"I have to get ready for work," I finally whispered, running a hand absently down my no longer flat stomach. "Okay?"

"Alright. Friday then?"

"Friday."

* * *

"I'm going to kill you."

I frowned at Maggie. "I'm going to kill you first."

"Jake won't stop calling me-"

"You told Eli that I told you and Heidi about-"

"-and I think he told Adam to back off, that I was his again or something."

"-the cheating thing, which was really uncalled for, Maggie."

We both stared at each other for a moment, her on the outside of my apartment, me with the door wide opened, glaring at her.

"Well?" she finally asked. "Are you going to let me in or what?"

Huffing, I took a step back. "Fine. I shouldn't be though."

"Oh, shut up, Auden. He was going to find out anyways. Besides, I think that Heidi had already hinted him off."

"It was your fault that Heidi knew in the first place!"

"Rawr," Hollis muttered from where he was stretched out on the couch, a pillow under his head as he tried to sleep. "Do I have to declaw the two of you?"

"Shut up, Hollis," I said, glaring at him as Maggie came into the apartment. A few more days had passed, slowly turning into over a week since the whole fiasco with the cheating started. "I'm leaving soon, Maggie, for Colby, so-"

"You're going to Colby?"

"It's the weekend, I'm off, so yeah, I am. I always do."

"Even after everything that hap-"

"Nothing happened. God. He hung up the phone on me once. It's not that big of a deal, okay?"

She frowned at me as she looked around. Then, finding a place to sit, she went over to one of the barstools that Eli had given me and sat down.

"I just don't get it, Auden."

"Don't get what?" I asked her, exasperated

"Why you constantly go down there when you're off, but when he's off-"

"Not now, okay? We can go in circles forever about which one of us is more committed to the other, but it will always come back to this simple fact; I want to be with Eli. And he wants to be with me. And if we both want to be together, why shouldn't we? Because all of you-"

"Would you be quiet?" Hollis grumbled from the couch. "Sleeping here."

I shot him a look before going ahead and sending one Maggie's way as well. "I have to get ready to go, Maggie."

"How long are you going to be gone?"

"Normal amount of time."

"Well, crap. What am I supposed to do while you're gone?"

"Figure it out," I told her, heading to the bedroom to get my bag. I really was about headed out of the door when she showed up. "I have to hit the road though. "

"You're no fun," she taunted when I returned from the bedroom.

"Yeah," I told her. "I know. And Hollis?"

"Sleeping."

"No one in this place while I'm gone."

"You say the same thing every time you leave."

"And I mean it every time I leave."

"Hey, do you got any ice cream?" Maggie had gone into my kitchen now, raiding my fridge. "Duh. Of course you do."

"Maggie, I have to go," I said, frowning slightly. "Really, I-"

"It's cool," she said, pulling the tub of ice cream out of the freezer. "I'll keep Hollis company."

"Why?"

She shrugged. "Ice cream is expensive these days."

I wanted to stick around and make sure that's the only thing she was interested in, but my desire to just get to Colby greatly outweighed that.

The car ride down there wasn't too bad. I wasn't worried about gas money for once which was always a nice thing. The second I got into Colby, I stopped in at Gas/Gro to get a big drink before heading over to Eli's.

I wasn't sure what I was expecting, but it wasn't what I got. Then again, that's what I get for letting myself in.

"God, Jake!"

There Jake was, boney butt bare as he _fucked_ someone on the floor in front of the couch. Seriously. Lose your lunch much?

"A-Auden."

There girl under him just stared at me with wide-eyes. As Jake moved away from her, she quickly moved to gather up her clothes, panic setting in. "You're not, like, his girlfriend or something are you?"

Jake didn't even look at her. "Auden, don't-"

"No. Nope. Not today." I walked passed them, heading down the hallway. "Get out, Jake. And I'm calling Eli. God, you couldn't even have grabbed a blanket? You're like a freaking dog."

When I got to the bedroom, I slammed the door behind me before wishing I had gone to the bathroom instead. You know, to wash my eyes out.

"Auden!"

I frowned when not a minute later, Jake came into the room in only his jeans. I was currently calling his brother. "Get out. I-"

"Don't tell on me. Please. Where else am I supposed to have sex? At home with Mom and Dad?"

Could he have phrased that worse?

"Get out, Jake. How long have you been doing this? Having sex in our apartment?" I glared heavily at him. When he opened his mouth though, I said, "Never mind. Don't answer that."

"It's not that big of a deal."

"Then you won't mind Eli-"

"Please, Auden? God, you-"

"Is that woman gone?"

"Is that what this is about? Are you jealous?" He patted his chest. "Missed opportunities?"

"Eli?" I said into the phone the second he picked up. "Jake was having sex in our apartment and is now hitting on me."

I didn't even listen to the angry words Eli said on the other end of the line directed at his brother. I just stared into Jake's eyes, letting him know without a doubt who had won, who would always win.

Sometimes it's hard being so great. Other times, it makes my job really easy.

* * *

"You think he had sex in our bed?"

Eli took a long swig of his coke before looking at me. "If he did, he's going to be in a world of pain."

"Cliché."

"And?"

"Hollis thinks I should become a writer."

"I think that you should become nothing and live with me forever."

I shifted on our bed, curling against his side. "You're really not cheating."

"Never. If I didn't want to be with you, I'd do just that. Leave you. Be with someone new." He kissed the top of my head as he sat his soda can on the side table. "I don't feel that way though. I want you. Pregnant or not."

"Hollis-"

"Hollis doesn't factor into our relationship anymore than Steven or Jake do." Eli let out a long sigh. "How long are we napping for?"

"If we nap long enough, I think it just becomes going to bed early."

"Haven't eaten dinner yet. I am not going to bed."

"Let's just lay here for awhile. Then, in an hour or so, we can go get burgers."

"Yum."

"Mmmm."

"So how is school going anyways?"

"It's going," I mumbled, kissing his side. "How's work been?"

"It's been."

"See, it didn't work in that situation."

"Did too. It's been going."

"You said been. Since it's still going on-"

"You know what?" He pressed another kiss to my head before slipping out of the bed. "I'll just go get the burgers now."

I watched him as he slipped on his shoes and grabbed his coke before leaving the room.

And so the night begins.

I laid around after Eli left, only finding sleep after about thirty minutes. And even then I didn't stay asleep long.

"Auden?"

I didn't open my eyes. I didn't need to open my eyes. I could smell from the Cheeto breath in my face exactly who it was.

"Eli said to wake you up. It's time to eat."

"'kay. Be there in the minute," I mumbled.

Vinny just patted my stomach and gave a little giggle before leaving the room. I was wrong. The children were over. Now the night really began.

"Auden's up," Vinny called out when I finally came into the living room. The kids were up on the couch, a safe distance away from where Jake… Eli was in front of the TV though, playing videogames. It wasn't a hard choice to make when I sat down up on the couch with my half-sister and her friend.

"There's your food, babe," Eli mumbled to me, not even looking back to check on me. "On the coffee table."

"Thank you," I said as Thisbe held up the toy she'd gotten in her kids meal. "That's very nice."

"Thanks," she giggled as Vinny gave me a ketchup packet to open for him. The things I do for these kids.

"What do you guys want to do tonight?" I asked them, Eli still not turning around. In his defense, being a soldier is a lot more interesting than being an uncle and boyfriend. Which is why he spends all his time pretending to be one with his videogames. Has to be the reason. That's the only answer.

"I wanna go swimming."

"You're silly," I told Vinny who just giggled.

"I wanna swim too," Thisbe told me. "That'd be fun."

"No," I told them both. "It's too late. Maybe in the morning Eli can take you-"

"Don't be promising that I'll do stuff, Auden," Eli warned from the floor. "You hear me?"

"You will do that, Eli, unless you stop playing that stupid game now so we can… Do you guys want to watch a mov-"

"Yes!" Thisbe sat her hamburger down on the coffee table before jumping up and rushing over to where she had sat her overnight bag. "I brought movies. Let's watch the Dalmatians!"

"What are the Dalmatians?" I asked.

"There's, like, a hundred of 'em," Vinny explained.

"Hundred and one, Vinny," Thisbe corrected. "It's in the name. The 101 Dalmatians. Duh."

"You shut up, Thisbe! You-"

"Both of you be quiet and Eli will put on the movie."

"Auden-"

"Now," I told him. "Unless you feel like getting up in the morning and taking them to the-"

"Movie it is," Eli groaned as he got up. "Is it the cartoon one, Thisbe?"

"Yes."

"Great," he grumbled, going to take the DVD from here.

"What's this movie about?" I asked, but Eli just shook his head.

"Trust me, by the time ours comes, you'll be able to quote it."

Why did that not make me feel any better?


	5. Chapter 5

Fresh Start

Chapter 5

"You guys will never guess what I did today."

Karen was the only one that looked up as I came into the house, granted that was more for the fact I had been the one that got sent out to do her bidding.

"Well, picked up the dry cleaning, I would hope," she said slowly, no doubt taking in that I was empty handed.

"Oh, yeah, that. It's in the car," I said. "Eli can get it."

My boyfriend was currently seated on the ground in front of the television playing Jake's videogames and looked less than thrilled by the thought. "Try no. Vinny, go get the dry cleaning."

"No, Eli," Karen said, frowning at him from her husband's chair. "He's not tall enough. He'll drag it on the ground. Jake, go get it."

"What?"

"Now," Joseph ordered from the kitchen where he was cooking. He and Karen had gotten into an argument that afternoon about how she makes dinner more often than he does. Which of course meant that we were going to get stuck eating Joseph's cooking that night. Of course.

The whole reason I had once again got roped into spending the day with the Stocks was because it was finally spring break. Excited by that, I immediately headed to Colby to be with Eli only to find that he had completely different plans for my week off. In short, I was going to be stuck with his parents. Again.

"So what were you talking about, Auden?" Karen asked as she took a sip of her coffee. "Something we'd never guess."

"Well, it was more directed towards Eli than anybody else," I said, now slightly bashful. Eli didn't look at me though, instead just resorting to grunting to let me know that he was listening. "I set us up to go out tomorrow."

"Do what?"

"I met someone while I was at the store," I told them all.

"Pretty sure you wouldn't want to be telling Eli that," Jake muttered as he headed out the door to get the dry cleaning. I called out to him to get the groceries out too before speaking to my boyfriend again.

"I met a woman that was really nice and we had a conversation while I was in line to pick up the clothes," I went on as I headed over to the couch to take a seat. Vinny and Thisbe, who had both been on the floor playing with action figures, jumped up to go sit with me. I think they thought I had bought them something at the store.

"What does that have to do with me?" Eli asked, finally pausing his game to turn and face me.

"Everything."

"Auden-"

"We're going to have lunch with her tomorrow at two."

"Two? What? I can't eat that late. Not to mention work-"

"We both know that you're off from both your jobs tomorrow, so don't play. You told me that when I got in today."

Grumbling, he turned to look back at me. "So who is she anyways?"

"I just told you-"

"I mean her name, Auden," he clarified as Vinny patted my stomach, making both him and Thisbe giggle.

"Oh. Um…" I looked around for a moment before frowning. "I don't-"

"How did you not learn this woman's name?"

"I forgot, okay?"

"Pregnant women do have bad short term memory," Karen told us, setting her coffee to the side now.

"That is such a myth," Eli complained. "And an excuse. God, Auden, you-"

"Now, Eli, it won't kill you to go meet Auden's new friend," Karen told him as she stood up and headed into the kitchen, no doubt to check on her husband's dinner preparation progress.

Friend. That what I had. I finally had a friend in Colby that I made all on my own. Wow.

"Can we go to lunch?" Vinny asked, looking up at me.

"Yeah, Auden. Please?"

"No," I told Thisbe as she and Vinny started to protest. "Eli and I are going alone."

"You're no fun," Vinny complained, jumping off the couch and heading into the kitchen, his little friend following. I'm sure they were going to go whine to Joseph and Karen about how hungry they were. That was their typical MO.

"Auden, why did you do this?" Eli complained. "I don't want-"

"I've met plenty of your dumb friends. Besides, Eli, if you expect me to come live here when we have the baby-"

"I do."

"-then you're going to have to get used to the fact I'm going to meet new people. I'm not just going to only know your family for the rest of my life."

"You know plenty of people," he argued.

"People you know," I said as Jake came back into the house, the dry cleaning with him. "I thought I told you to get the groceries?"

Grumbling, he went to go put what he had away before heading back out. If Jake's done anything, he's shown me what it's like to have a child. Seriously.

* * *

"What is this, boy?"

"It's stew, Dad," Joseph sighed as his father frowned down at the bowl in front of him. "It's good. Trust me."

"Your wife made it?"

"No, I did," Joseph corrected while Karen sent a glare down the table at the man.

Needless to say the transition into Mr. Stock staying with them had not gone smoothly. There had been fights, yelling matches, and a load of tears. Finally though Karen had caved. No one had any money to put him in a home or set him up with an apartment anyways. So it was settled that he'd stay right where he was.

"What was she doing that she couldn't make it?"

"It's really none of your-"

Joseph laid a hand over one of Karen's, silencing her. "She had other things to attend to, Dad. Honestly, it's good. Isn't it, kids?"

"It's ain't ice cream," Vinny concluded.

"And it's not chicken nuggets," Thisbe added.

"No," I agreed, giving them each a very pointed look. "But it's good all the same. Isn't it?"

"Guess so," Vinny muttered while Thisbe just reached for her cup of juice.

Since James' arrival, dinners had begun to be had in the real dining room, Steven's stuff making its way into the garbage can or the garage. I could tell that he was slightly put out by this, but honestly, could he really complain? He's been living with his parents for how long now? Come on.

"It's good, Dad," Eli spoke up even though he was still in a slightly angry mood. That was directed at me though, so his parents were safe from his wrath.

"I mean, it's not Mom's or anything, but it's 'ight," Jake said, spooning some up. "More meat though which is good. Although the cornbread is kinda burnt-"

"That's enough, Jake," Karen cut him off. "Your father did a fine job with dinner. Thank you, Joseph."

He just nodded slightly, knowing that his wife must feel for him if she was giving him a compliment. They had only been cordial with one another since his father moved in. I only came over on some weekends and even I could tell that.

"Are we gonna go sleep over at Eli's tonight?" Vinny asked after a moment, clearly tired of the stew talk. I could see where that would bore him.

"Sorry, buddy," Eli said with a shake of his head. "Thisbe's gotta go home."

"How come?"

"Heidi taking her out of town. You know that."

"I don't wanna go," Thisbe told them all then. "I wanna stay."

"You don't always get that options, sweetie,' Karen told her. "Besides, it's only until Sunday night. Then you'll be right back for school."

"Bleh." Vinny shook his head. "How come Auden ain't got school?"

"You guys already had your spring break," Joseph reminded them. "Remember? We went to the beach almost every day."

"I don't 'member," Vinny said, shaking his head. "I think we should have it again, till I 'member."

"Remember, Vinny," Karen corrected. "You're starting to get to old to just leave off part of words. You know how to say the word remember. You're not going to be the baby anymore."

He growled at her statement. "I wasn't ever the baby. I'm not a baby."

"That's not what she meant, buddy," Eli said while Karen just shook her head.

"I gotta go to the market in the morning," James announced randomly.

Frowning, Jake asked, "Do you mean the store?"

"The market."

"Karen's going to the store tomorrow," Joseph said then. "Perhaps-"

"Oh, I'm going to be a long time. I have many errands that I have to-"

"Great. I'll go with her," James said while Karen cut her eyes at her husband.

"Joseph, you don't think that it would have been a good chance for you and your father to bond if you took him?"

He shook his head at her. "I have plans tomorrow, Karen."

"Which would be?"

"Obviously taking Vinny to the beach."

"Obviously," she replied, voice taut.

"I can take you to the store, Grandpa," Jake said then, nodding his head. "Of course, I'm going to need transportation-"

"We'll take my car," James said with a nod.

"I told you, Dad, that you shouldn't be driving anymore," Joseph interjected, sending a sharp look his youngest son's way. "Besides, Karen just said she would take-"

"You can't tell me how to live my life, boy," his father replied. "I can drive wherever the hell I want."

"We don't use that kind of language-"

"He's a grown man, Joseph," Karen said then, now being the one giving off a harsh glare though it was directed at her husband. "If he wants to drive his own car-"

"Karen-"

"I can drive," Jake said. "Me and Grand-"

"I just said that your mother is taking-"

"No, Joseph, I'm-"

"We'll take him," I spoke up then before spooning up some of Joseph's stew to my mouth. "Eli and I."

"Auden-"

"We have to go anyways," I cut my boyfriend off.

"We do not."

'Do too. If I'm going to be spending the week here, we're going to have to go buy more than beer and hotdogs."

"See where all my money goes?"

"I have my own money, Eli, if you're going to be like that."

"That's not necessary anyways, Auden," Joseph told me, ending the mini-argument between his son and I. "Karen is going to-"

"I'd rather have the younger one, boy," James spoke up. "And don't talk about me like I'm not in the room. If I can't take my own damn car, fine, but I'm at least going to go with your younger woman than that one-"

"I've really had about enough of you, James," Karen said then, glaring down at him so heavily now that even Thisbe and Vinny stopped eating to watch. "You are the most-"

"Karen-"

"No, Joseph. He's your father. I shouldn't have to be the one to say this."

"You shouldn't be saying anything to begin with," James said, nodding his head at his own statement.

"Women," Jake mumbled, nodding along with his grandfather.

"Out," Joseph said, not even taking the effort to point. "Now."

"I'm going," Jake grumbled as he jumped up, no doubt having been expecting this. "I'll be in my room. Your stew sucks anyways."

"Now, Jake."

The room stayed silent even after he was gone. We all just sat there, watching Karen and Joseph. Well, everyone except for Isby. She was focusing on sneaking a sip of Vinny's juice.

"Now," Joseph began again once he was certain that things had reached an uneasy stillness. "Dad, Auden and Eli can take you to the store if that's what they want."

"N-"

"Behave," I told Eli, causing Vinny and Thisbe to snicker.

"However," Joseph went on, still looking at his father full on. "Karen is my wife. She comes above all else."

"Like Jesus," Vinny whispered to Thisbe who nodded her head.

"She's very kind to allow you to stay here," Joseph said as he ignored his grandson. "I know that the current arrangements aren't ideal, but you have to understand that it's because of you that they're all out of whack. Not Karen. Disrespect won't be tolerated."

"I think you've got the roles reversed, boy."

"No," Karen spoke up, her eyes having never left the glare she was sending at her father-in-law. "You do."

"Kar-"

"The way I get treated," James grumbled as he stood up, unsteady on his feet at first. "Well, I hope you're happy, woman. Kicking an old man out of-"

"No one's kicking you out, Dad," Joseph tried. "You just-"

"When are you going to be ready, boy?"

Eli frowned when he saw his grandfather was speaking to him. "Me?"

"I was offered a room with ya, wasn't I?"

"When you first got here, but-"

"Well, when are you gonna be ready?"

"Now, Dad," Joseph started again. "You can't honestly think that they're-"

"I've had about enough out of you. Caving to that woman this way."

"I didn't-"

"It ain't no fair," Vinny complained. "How come Grandpa gets to go spend the night with Eli and I don't?"

"No one's spending the night anywhere," Karen told him. Then, glancing at her husband's father, she said, "Except maybe a motel."

"Karen-"

"I'll be out in my car, waiting," James said as he finally just walked out of the dining room.

"Waiting for what?" Joseph groaned before turning to look at his wife. "This is all your fault, Karen."

"Excuse me?"

"Now we've hurt his feelings."

"Good," she said.

"Kar-"

"Choose, Joseph. Him or me? Because if he spends another night in this house-"

"What do you want me to do?"

"I don't know," she said as she stood, taking her mostly empty bowl with her. "Figure it out, Joseph."

"Karen, you can't honestly-"

"Five years. He was with you for five years. Before your sixth birthday, what did he do? Left you. And after that, it wasn't until you were thirteen that you saw him again. Remember that? And even then it was sporadically." Karen didn't even look back at him. "We have far supposed five years. But I can gladly end it with this one."

"You're being dramatic."

"I'm being attacked in my own home by a man that neither of us really wants here," she corrected. "Sort this one out yourself, Joseph, but if you don't, you really won't like my solution."

"Women," Vinny mumbled to Thisbe, no doubt imitating Jake. He didn't get kicked out though. Just a look from me as Joseph let out a long sigh, letting his head hang for a moment. When he looked back up, his eyes were on Eli for probably the first time that night.

"E-"

"No," his son said before he had a chance to get the words out. "No, Dad."

"Just for-"

"Absolutely not. We're getting that room ready for the baby, the extra room. And with Auden here for the week, he can't have my bedroom. What do you-"

"Just for the night," Joseph repeated. "I'll figure something out in the morning. Please."

He took Eli's silence as acceptance, standing after a moment and leaving the room. Then it was just Eli, me, and the kids.

"We owe them his much," I told Eli as I ran a hand down his arm. "You know that."

"I know," he groaned, watching as Thisbe and Vinny pulled the left over bowls towards them, no doubt to pick out the chunks of meat, the only part of the stew the children really liked. "I just don't want him over there. Because a day always turns into another and another and another."

"They'll figure something out."

"They have," Eli told me as Vinny accidentally knocked over his glass of juice being silly and trying to steal from others bowls. Ignoring that, my boyfriend said, "The solution is me, Auden. Now I'm stuck with him. I don't even like him."

"I'm putting up with Hollis," I pointed out as I sent Vinny and Isby to go get paper towels for his mess.

"There's an end date to that, Auden. Either he leaves or you come stay with me."

"Your dad said it was just for the day," I said.

"Yeah, he says that." Eli shook his head. "There's an end date for me too, Auden. Granddad's funeral."

"Oh, Eli-"

"They want him to stay with me until he dies. And that could be months. Years even. It's not fair. I didn't sign up for this."

I just sighed, resting one hand against his arm, the other over my stomach. "What do we sign up for these days?"

* * *

While Eli headed home with his grandfather in tow, I headed over to Heidi's to drop off Thisbe, having to take the truck as he used his grandfather's car to get them home. Thisbe wasn't too happy about having to go home, but I wasn't too happy about having my boyfriend estranged grandfather over so I guess we're all even.

"Mr. Joseph's second daddy is sleeping over at Eli's, but I can't," was the first thing out of Thisbe's mouth when Heidi opened the door.

"What, sweetie?"

I just sighed as she allowed us both in. "James and Karen got into an argument and then Karen told Joseph to pick her or his father."

"Ooh," Heidi said before I could finish. "There is no man that would stay with me if I said that."

"You haven't been married for over, what? Thirty years? Forty?"

"Point taken." Heidi sighed as she closed the door behind me. "So anyways."

"So anyways," I went on as Thisbe ran off to her bedroom without telling me goodbye, probably upset that I wasn't letting her spend the night. "James thought that Joseph was kicking him out, so now he thinks that he should live with Eli because he likes me more than Karen."

"He likes you more than Karen?"

"He likes anyone more than Karen."

She just frowned, still staring at me. "Is there an extra bed in the room for James at Eli's apartment? I thought it was empty."

"It is," I told her. "He's going to stay in our bedroom."

"Where will the two of you sleep?"

"Share the couch."

"Auden, you're too pregnant for that. Honestly." She shook her head at me. "You can't think-"

"Joseph said that I could stay at their house if I wanted, but knowing all the fighting that's going to go on over there-"

"Thisbe and I are leaving in an hour to go stay with Trevor for the weekend," she told me. "You can stay here."

"Heidi-"

"You can stay in the guest bedroom if you'd like. And you can watch Ralph for the night. He gets so upset when we leave him alone." She patted me on the shoulder, smiling. "So see? It works out?"

"I don't-"

"Auden, I'm not going to let you sleep on a couch that you're sharing with a grown man when you're pregnant." She shook her head. "Either that or you go back to the Stocks. They're the reason everything's so screwed up anyways."

"Well, I have to get back to Eli. Make sure his grandfather's getting settled and everything."

Heidi still just stared into my eyes. "You're not going to sleep on a couch tonight, Auden. I will call Eli and find out."

"Alright."

"You have a key if you decide to show up back here. I'll be gone, so lock up when you leave."

"Of course."

"And Morgan is going to take care of Ralph while I'm gone, so don't worry about that. I'll text her that you might be here when she shows up."

"I doubt it. Joseph said that James would only be staying with Eli for the night."

"We'll see," she told me as Thisbe came back into the room, Ralph trailing along behind her. "You ready to go, Caroline?"

"No," she said, arms crossed, face in pout mode. "Ralph says that he doesn't want me to go."

"I'm sure he doesn't, but Ralph is a dog, silly." Her mother looked back at me. "So I'll see you when we get back, Auden."

"Of course. Goodbye, Thisbe."

"I hate you too."

"Caroline!" Heidi frowned at her. "Don't you say things like that."

"I do. I hate Auden and you. I wanna stay with Eli."

"Well, that's too bad. Go to your room. I'll be there in a moment."

I felt bad for Thisbe, I really did, but I had other more important things to worry about. Like where I was going to sleep that night.

When I got to the apartment, I found Eli and his grandfather in the living room, both watching TV in a stony silence. James didn't even look up as I came in, instead just taking a long sip of the beer in his hand. I made a face at Eli, not happy about this development, but he was drinking one himself.

"So I'm going to stay somewhere else for the night," I told him as I walked towards him. "Alright?"

"What?"

"Heidi said it probably wasn't a good idea, us sharing the couch, so-"

"What are you talking about? Sharing a couch?" James shook his head. "I'm the guest. I'll-"

"Granddad, we're not going to make you sleep on the couch." Eli slung back some of his beer before speaking again. "You're taking our room tonight."

"I'm not that old," the man said, though everything about him gave that away.

"I know," Eli told him. "I'd just feel better that way."

"I think I'll stay over at Heidi's," I said to my boyfriend then. "She said it was fine."

"Aud, seriously, I'll just make us up a bed of sheets on the floor."

"The same floor I found Jake and a girl on the other day?"

"…Then we can sleep on the floor in the baby's room. You don't got to go. Or we can leave for the night. Hang out with some people. Something."

"What time is it?" James asked then, looking at us. "Boy?"

"Uh, here." Eli pulled out his phone and checked. "6:54."

"Getting late," he said before making a hacking noise. "Need a smoke."

"No smoking in the apartment," I told him. For a moment I thought that he would snap at me like he did Karen, but the man just nodded as he stood with a groan.

"I'll go with you, Granddad," Eli said, following him to the front door. "And you can get ready to go out, Aud."

While they were gone, I went to wash my face and change my shirt as Vinny had gotten some juice on it. When I got back out to the living room, Eli was with his grandfather, explaining him the layout of the apartment.

"-bathroom is right across the hall. Alright? You need me to show you?"

"No, boy, I think I got it." The man went back to sit down on the couch. "You kids are going out?"

"We are," Eli told him, glancing up at me as I came into the room. "Why? Did you need us to stay with you?"

"I ain't no child, boy."

"Of course not."

"I'mma watch me some television before I head off to bed," James went on, nodding his wrinkly head. "How do I get it to the news?"

"Here, Granddad." Eli put it on CNN before taking a step back. "Auden and I might not be back until late, but if you need me, the person next door knows me and Dad, okay? Just got ask them to call one of us."

James grunted in response, though I wasn't sure if that just wasn't one of his normal noises.

"You kids ain't coming back?"

"I will," he told him. "Just late. And Auden might sleep somewhere else. But we'll still take you to the grocery store in the morning, alright?"

"The market?"

"Yep." Eli smiled at him. "So I'll see you in the morning, okay? I already put your stuff in the bedroom. The bed's made and everything. Goodnight."

"Night, kids."

"G'night," I told him, smiling slightly at the man as his grandson and I headed out of the apartment.

"I don't know why your mother hates him so much," was the first thing I told Eli when we were out on the street. He had decided that we'd walk around Colby some, find something to do. "He seems like a nice older man."

"I think he's just into you, Aud."

"Ew."

"I know."

"I thought your mom was going to kill him at dinner."

"She was pretty angry."

"I feel bad for your father though," I said as we interlaced our fingers, continuing on down the sidewalk. "He seems really torn."

"Mom's just messing with him. She knows that she'll get her way. She always does."

"When you put it that way, it makes sense why his family hates her so much."

"She's not, like, a bitch about it. She just knows what's better for them. Dad's too nice. He'd run them bankrupt with giving money to the beggars on the streets if she'd let him."

"Where do they get all their money anyways?" I asked. "I don't mean to be rude, but they aren't that old. I mean, they retired earlier than most people do these days."

"Investments."

"Investments?"

"Dad's pretty smart about that kind of stuff," Eli told me. "Mom always says that he was super smart in high school and stuff. He invested a lot of their money. He still does. He's pretty wise about the stock market, I guess. Nothing over the top, but they've made some nice money.'

"That's cool."

"Mmmhmm. He's always talking to me about bonds and stocks and shit when we're alone. 401Ks or whatever and how you gotta start young." Eli shrugged. "I don't know about none of that. College funds and shit for the baby. I can't even pay my rent half the time."

"This isn't ideal," I told him. "For either of us."

"Or the baby."

"The baby," I said after a moment. "We know he's a boy. When are we going to name him?"

"I dunno. What do you want to name him?"

"Some cute."

"Auden, he's a boy."

"So?"

"Cool would be the more appropriate term."

"I don't want a normal name."

"Yeah, I figured. Auden. Thisbe. Hollis. Clayton."

When I didn't say anything, he just sighed.

"I'm sorry, Aud, I just-"

"It was a silly name," I whispered. "Clayton. I don't even know where I heard it."

"Tarzan."

"The book?"

"No silly." He glanced at me. "I'm sure you've seen it with Thisbe. That Disney movie. Tarzan."

"I'm not familiar with that. I've read _Tarzan of the Apes_. Tarzan's real name is John Clayton. Perhaps I heard it there."

"Tarzan was a book?"

Sighing, I swung our hands slightly. "Yes, Eli."

"And Clayton was the guy who freaking Kerchak."

"Tarzan kills Kerchak."

"What?"

"I mean, Tarzan isn't some kind of hero or something. He does kidnap a boy in one of the short stories."

"The heck? What kind of book is this?"

"I'm sure it's far superior to your…Disney movie. And there have been many versions of the book released as films, Eli."

"You mean Disney didn't-"

"You'll find that Disney rarely uses their own ideas. I mean, look at that lion movie."

"The Lion King."

"Yes. Everyone knows that Disney stole that story from Kimba-"

"He name is Simba, Auden."

"No, I know that." It was one of Vinny's favorite films after all. "_Kimba the White Lion_. It was from the 60s."

"Stop messing up my life, Auden."

Rolling my eyes, I said, "Anyways, back to names."

"No. Ruin my childhood more."

"Eli, stop being dramatic."

We were both silent for a moment before I said, "So names."

"Can we name him after someone?"

"Like an athlete? Because-"

"No, like-"

"Auden!"

We both frowned as a little boy ran out of the shop we were walking in front of. It was Vinny of course, smiling up at me.

"Hey, buddy," Eli said though he hadn't been the one his nephew greeted. "You got ice cream?"

"Mmmhmm. With sprinkles," he said as Karen came out of the ice cream shop behind him, though she just had a cup of soda with her. "Since I was such a good boy. Huh, Granny?"

She frowned at Eli and I. "Kids. I suppose you aren't out on an ice cream run."

"No," Eli said slowly. "But knowing that you no doubt have ice cream at home, I'm not sure why you are either."

"We have ice cream, yes," Karen said as Vinny turned his focus away from me to his ice cream cone. "But not…what kind is it that you like, sweetheart?"

"Cookie dough."

"We don't have cookie dough," Karen told her son. "Where's…that man?"

"He's at the apartment. We were just going out for a walk."

"As we were," Karen said.

"To the ice cream shop."

"Vinny was a very good boy today, Eli," she told him. "Why should I not reward him?"

"And Thisbe couldn't come 'cause she's a butthead and left me."

"Vinny," Karen warned, but he just walked around us now, heading down the sidewalk. "You know to wait for me."

"Come on, Granny. I wanna get home to see Daddy."

"He won't be home until way after you're in bed. You don't go further than where the sidewalk ends." Then she turned her attention back on us. "He wanted ice cream, Eli. Why is it a crime to take him to get some?"

"Are you sure you didn't just leave the house to get under Dad's skin?"

She clicked her tongue before looking at me. "Where are you staying tonight, Auden?"

"Huh?"

"Since James is over there, I assume you're sleeping on the couch. Or are you making him?"

"Mom, he's an old man," Eli told her. "No, we're not doing that."

"Then?"

"We're going to sleep on the floor in the baby's room," I told her. "Lay down some blankets and pillows."

She blinked. "When we've offered you both a bed at our house, you're going to sleep on the floor of a bare room."

"Heidi said we could spend the night at her place. Or well, I could," I said.

"Why don't you sleep over there then?"

I glanced at Eli before back at her. "It'd be awkward, you know? Being there without her."

"Then come- Vinny, you get back here! I told you to stay at the end of the street."

Turning, I saw that Vinny had seen a stray dog down the road and attempted to follow it. Dejected, he made his slow trek back to us.

"Did I not just get you ice cream?" Karen frowned down at him before looking up at us. "Auden, I don't want the two of you having to sleep on the floor. Come home with us. You can have Vinny's bed."

"Yeah!" Vinny was perked up again. "We can share, Auden. Like me and Thisbe."

"No, silly," Karen said, not looking down at him. "You'll sleep with your father or Jake."

"Why can't I sleep with Auden?" He smiled at me. "She's a lot nicer."

"Aud and I are going to be perfectly fine tonight, Mom, on the floor of that room." Eli wrapped an arm around my shoulders. "And tomorrow, when everything's blown over, Granddad will be somewhere else, far away from here, and everything can go back to normal."

"You're so cute when you try to be a man." She patted his then scowling face before looking down at Vinny. "Come on then, Vincent. You ready to head home?"

"Without Auden and Eli?"

"Yes."

He groaned. "Bye-bye."

"Bye, buddy," Eli said, ruffling his hair.

"Goodbye," I told him. "Maybe we'll see you tomorrow, huh?"

Nodding, he followed his grandmother, waving at us one more time. I smiled at Eli as he headed off the other way, pulling me along with him.

"We're going to be fine on the floor," Eli told me. "Me and you. On the floor. We'll probably end up screwing."

I frowned at him. "We will _not_ be having sex on the floor of the baby's room."

"Fine," he groaned. "Though you kind of owe me."

"How do I owe you?"

"Gee, you're forcing me to go to lunch with you and some mystery woman, you invited my grandfather that I don't even like to stay with us-"

"You got me pregnant," I reminded him as we walked down the road. "That outweighs everything."

He sighed, shaking his head. "You and your trump cards."

* * *

"If you don't know this woman's name, does she even know yours?"

"No," I told Eli as I looked at the menu. "I don't know. I do know that she said she was inviting her sister."

"Auden-"

"We really hit it off."

"And forgot to tell each other your names?"

"…Why do you hate me?"

He just sighed as he closed his menu. "I think she stood you up. Can we leave now?"

"No." I frowned at him. "You act like a child. I would have been better off bringing Vinny."

"Yes. Should I go get him?"

"Shut up."

"Aud, you woke me up at eight to go to the freaking grocery store. Sorry if I'm not my usual perfect self."

"Your grandfather had been up since six. What did you want me to do?"

"Not wake me up, obviously."

"Obviously," I said with an eye roll.

The night and the morning had not gone over without a hitch. Mainly because after figuring out that we had nothing to do for the rest of the evening, Eli and I returned home around nine to find his grandfather asleep on the couch. After rousing him and getting him to bed, we called everyone we knew for plans for the night. The only one with any was Jake and his big idea was to hook up with some chick two towns over and for us to give him a ride.

Needless to say, I spent most of the night watching Eli play videogames in the living room before we retired to the extra bedroom where we had a less than thrilling conversation.

"We never did finish talking," Eli told me not soon after we were both settled under a few blankets, both sharing one pillow. We were so close to each other that I could smell the beers he had on his breath as our noses were practically touching.

"What do you mean?"

"About names."

"Oh." I smiled at him. "Right. You wanted to name the baby after an athlete or something."

"I said no, that's not what I wanted to do," he reminded me. "I want to name him after someone."

"Who?"

It was then that he reached out and laid a hand over my stomach, waiting for the baby to kick, When he didn't, Eli just kissed my head. "Abe."

No. That was the first thought in my head. No. Absolutely not. Somehow, those words slipped out of my mouth.

"What do you mean no?" Eli moved back then, staring me in the eyes. "Auden?"

"It's not that, Eli."

"Not what?"

"I wouldn't mind it if, you know, I liked that name. But I don't. Abe." I shivered. "I don't-"

"Are you serious right now?"

"Very," I told him. When I saw the hurt in his eyes though, I sighed. "I'm sorry. I'm coming off as-"

"A bitch."

"Excuse me?"

He shook his head. "There is nothing wrong with that name. And Abe was a great guy. He-"

"I don't like that name."

"Auden-"

"I don't. It sounds horrible. If it were a different name-"

"What? Huh? What name do you want, oh wise one? Since apparently-"

"Calm down." It was my turn to touch him, though I just rested a hand against his chest. "I know how much he meant to you. I just-"

"How could you say that?"

"I don't like the name, Eli."

"Abe. It's a normal name."

"Not really," I said, staring at him in the darkness. "I would never ask you to name our child something you didn't like."

"Clayton."

"What?"

"You liked the name Clayton. I didn't. I let you have it. Why won't you let me have this?"

"Because, Eli, I hate the name. I don't like the sound. It sounds…" I wasn't sure how to put it without hurting him more. "I just don't like it, okay?"

"No, not okay."

"…Abe is short for what? Abraham? You want to name our Abraham?"

"What would be wrong with that? It's a biblical name."

"Exactly my point."

"I don't get you and your family," he said then, his glare almost as deadly as his tone. "You talk all this great game of what fabulous readers you are and how educated you are because you read this really old books and shit, but then you down the bible? You hate on the bible? The bible is the greatest piece of literature ever to be written."

"Literature. You get that? Stories. Made up stories to-"

"You know, sometimes I really wish that you weren't this way."

"What way?"

"Anything that scares you, you immediately discredit to make yourself feel better."

I scoffed at that. "The bible does not scare me."

"Your impending doom? The fact that you'll rot forever in a place of extreme torture simply because you refused to accept what you knew deep down was true?" It was his turn to snort. "That's what scares all you atheists. Eternity in Hell."

"And acceptance towards the fact that when this is over there is nothing else is what scares all of you religious, unintelligent religious zealots."

We both watched one another in the darkness for a moment before Eli rolled over, giving me his back to stare at.

"You are a piece of work," he told me with evident disdain. "There's something not right in your head."

"Oh, bull. There's something not right in yours. Still believe in Santa Clause, Eli? The Easter bunny?"

"It ever strike you funny, Auden, that those mythical creatures are only made up on Christian holidays?" he asked then. "That there's not Halloween present giver. No Ramadan present exchange. Only when we have a day for ourselves do you…people decide to try and take it from us and make it into something it's not."

"You're intolerable."

"And you're…mean. You're mean-spirited. There's nothing wrong with the name Abraham."

"And now we're back to this."

"We never left this!"

"I don't like that name, Eli. I just don't. I'm sorry. It sucks, okay, that you want a name and I don't, but that's part of life. Abe is not something I'm going to call my son. I'm sorry. Maybe you knocked up the wrong person."

"Maybe I did."

Needless to say, I went to sleep on the couch that night. It wasn't that big of a deal the way Heidi and Karen made it seem. In fact, it was more comfortable than the floor. True, Eli's couch was old and small and kind of smelled like beer with a hint of pizza, it was better than the awkwardness of my ex-stepmother's place or the Stocks' house. Really.

Now, sitting next to each other, Eli and I had found an unsteady peace. This was mainly formed earlier in the morning when we had to take his grandfather to the store where we more or less got around our differences. And by that I mean Eli shot down a couple of…unsavory remarks his grandfather made towards me. Where as his comments on Karen were cold and rude, his seemed far more…suggestive where I was concerned. There was no part of me that still thought of him as a poor, old man.

"Ah, sorry I'm late. I got caught up."

We both looked up as we were joined at our table by the woman I had met at the dry cleaners. She was around my age, dark headed and slight. She clearly was going for the trendy look, with chic glasses and smart clothing.

…Yeah, Maggie and I might spend a tad too much time together, so what?

"Hey," I said smiling brightly at her. "This is-"

"Eli," the woman said, staring at him after she had sat down.

"Mandy." He frowned. "Oh, no. Tell me you didn't-"

"What's wrong?" I asked, looking at him. "What?"

"Ugh, Mandy, why couldn't you have just picked Last Chance to eat at? You know that I only have an hour before I have to get back to work.

Once again we all looked up as another person arrived at our table. Eli and Mandy already seemed to be expecting her though. I just stared, the recognition not coming to me immediately.

"I mean, not that I'm not thrilled to meet your friends, but come on." Sitting down, the new woman immediately smiled at us…for a moment anyways. Then her eyes grew dark as she turned to look at her sister. "Mand-"

"How was I supposed to know?"

"Oh, God," Eli groaned, looking back down at his menu. It was then that I placed that face and voice.

"You did this on purpose, didn't you?"

Mandy frowned at her sister. "I did not. If I had known this was Eli and his wife, I wouldn't have-"

"We are not married," I assured her, causing the other woman to glare at me. "We're not."

Sighing, Eli said, "Let's just all be adult about this. Besides, you two have met, right? Auden? Belissa?"

She let out a short huff. "Oh, we've met."

Shifting on our side of the booth, Eli said, "Look, we can just, you know, not do this. Aud and I will gladly leave if-"

"Why?" Mandy smiled across the table at us, oblivious to her sister now. "It was years ago."

"Many years ago," Belissa reiterated while Eli just rolled his eyes.

"Aren't you, like, married now or something anyways?" Eli asked causing me to elbow him. 'What?"

"Separated," Mandy answered which only caused her to get elbowed. "Ow, Belissa."

"Already?"

"Eli."

"What?" He frowned at me. "I'm being conversational. You brought me here to be conversational. Just because it isn't turning out the way you want it-"

"Are you ready to order?"

The four of us turned our heads to the woman at the end of our table. Mandy immediately greeted her by name, Eli doing so as well. She responded with slight shock and mentioned having not seen Belissa in Colby in the past few years.

"I'm just in for the next few weeks," she told her.

"Well, it's so cool, you know?" the woman went on. "That the two of you can reconnect while you're in town or whatever."

Eli blinked while Belissa let out a long sigh. It was him that spoke though.

"Terra, this is Auden. My _girlfriend_."

She grimaced some. "Right. Heard about that. Uh, so anyways, um-"

"We're ready to order," Mandy said, trying to help the girl along. As she ordered, I felt my phone vibrate. Pulling it out, I saw it was just a text from Eli.

_Thanks a lot._

Glaring at him, I quickly responded.

_You're the one that's being awkward._

Once we had all ordered, we were left to all talk to one another again. Mandy seemed the most at her ease, though I was pretty sure she was taking some kind of pleasure out of her sister's discomfort.

"So, Auden, was it?" Mandy asked, smiling at me. "You were telling me at the cleaners yesterday about how you guys are having a boy? How exciting. Isn't that exciting, sis?"

"So exciting," Belissa said, tone flat at she stared at Eli. He was suddenly far more concerned with the salt shaker, which he kept picking up and setting down. "Have you decided on a name yet."

"No."

"Abe."

We both glared at each other, our displeasure about last night mixing right in with our feelings at the moment.

"No," I told them as Eli sunk lower in his seat. "We haven't."

Mandy smiled at us, but Belissa only looked at Eli, a shared moment passing over them as they no doubt both remembered their fallen friend.

And okay, for the record, I am not possessive over Eli. In the slightest. However, there are times at competitions when he's talking to other woman and it can be perceived as…flirting that it gets under my skin. We don't really, you know, do that anymore. Flirt. There was really no reason to. We hardly even went out on dates anymore.

Still, it could get under my skin at times when we're in Colby and he runs into some woman that he knows and connects with her. Especially at the moment considering that next to me, Belissa was the longest relationship Eli had ever had. The only real relationship he had other than ours. The only serious one at least.

Lunch didn't go well from there. There were no freak outs or anything crazy like that, but the only one that seemed comfortable was Mandy. She kept trying to start conversations, but they died off quickly without anyone really getting behind them.

When it was all over and Eli and I got to the truck, neither of us spoke. We just sat there for a moment, neither looking at the other. Then he had to go and break the silence.

"Aud-"

"You completely ruined everything. Just like always."

"Me?"

"You."

"What?"

"Just…Just take me back home." I buckled up before glancing at him. "To your apartment."

"Alright," he said slowly as he started the car. "If that's what you want. I don't know what you want to do there though."

"We have to make sure your grandfather eats," I told him. Then, taking a deep breath, I said, "And I think I should just take my stuff and head back home."

"What?" He hadn't started backing out of the parking spot yet and didn't move to do so. "All because of this? That's dumb, Auden."

I made a face at him. "No, not about this."

"Then-"

"You were an ass to me last night. And-"

"God, Auden, you were the one that-"

"I don't care, Eli. I really don't. We're not naming him that, so you can get over-"

"Abe was my friend, alright?" He was actually yelling at me now, his face skewed up as he glared at me. "I know you have no idea what those are because you're perfect and self-sufficient and all the bull shit, but it means something to me, alright? A lot more than you mean to me. A whole lot more."

When I wouldn't say anything to him, Eli just moved to back out, no longer facing me. I looked off out the window for a second before speaking.

"Did you ever think that's exactly why I don't want to name my son after him?"

"What?"

"Don't get me wrong. I hate that name," I said which about got me hit, I swear. "Part of it is though, Eli, that you're so stuck in the fucking past. That's all you ever think about. My son-"

"Our son. He's our son, Auden!"

"Our son," I corrected. "I don't want _our son_ to be that to you. A stupid memory or whatever. He's not going to be another thing for you to hold onto. Abe is dead, Eli. And he's not coming back."

"You don't think I fucking know that?"

"No, I don't think you do. I mean, God, I wait, day after day, year after year, for you to really grasp that and you just don't. You can't get over it." I couldn't look at him anymore. "If you're so stuck on that, Eli, you're never going to be able to be there for me. To be there for our son-"

"That's such bull. You're so-"

"You weren't going to be able to be there for Clayton." I turned on him then, staring at him as he glared straight ahead, almost running a red light.

"Fuck you."

"You weren't. And you won't be there for this baby either. You're nothing, but a stupid drunk." I snorted. "Elijah. Ha. Maybe they named you after the wrong grandfather."

"Don't," he told me, that one word coming off with more anger than I could even muster. "I mean it, Auden. Don't."

"Your stupid brothers, they both tell me that it's my fault, you know? That you're a drunk because of me. Because I left you after Clayton…died. It's not my fault though. It's in the genes, isn't it? You're just going to be a worthless, going nowhere, drunk. You're not even a man. You're just a stupid little boy who mommy and daddy need to take care of. You make me sick."

"Oh, me? This is all on me?" He was spitting venom now, but I'm sure he thought I deserved it. "What about you, Auden? You're nothing, but a loser. That's all you've ever been. Not the smartest, not the dumbest, not the most friendly, or the most athletic. Your parents sent you to all those different schools, not because they were too easy for you, but because you couldn't fit in. You still can't. Yo don't fit in anywhere. Do you get that? You're not going to be anything. A writer? Hardly. You'll be lucky if you even pass well enough as a hooker on the street. Then again, won't get much that way. I mean, look at you."

The second we got to the apartment, I jumped out of the car, rushing up to Eli's apartment, him right behind me as we continued to yell at each other.

"-stupid bitch that I-"

"Oh, I'm the bitch? Cry me a river, Eli. At least I didn't kill my friend."

"Oh, no, you just killed our baby. You get that right. You killed her. You-"

"Shut up!"

We were in the apartment by that point, neither of us caring much that Jake was over, sitting on the couch next to his grandfather. The two of them just watched us as we went by.

"Come on, Grandpa," I heard Jake say. "Let's, uh, go for a walk. A smoke. Or-"

"You're a stupid little whore, Auden," Eli was yelling at me by that point as I finally made it to the bedroom. I slammed the door behind me, but he quickly opened it just as I heard the front door open and close. We were alone. "You-"

"Just leave me alone!"

"No. You-"

"I'm leaving, Eli," I told him then as I went to gather my stuff. "So just leave me alone. This is it, isn't it? Just like you always wanted. God, I-"

"You're not going anywhere," he told me, grabbing my arm as I moved to open his closet door. "You're-"

"Let go!" I jerked away from him, though it wasn't overly hard. "God, Mom was right. I wish I'd never-"

"Fuck your mother. Fuck anyone that has anything to do with you. God, you-"

"Just leave me alone, Eli. I don't-"

"You don't what, Auden? Huh? Huh?" He was glaring so hard at me that I just…I couldn't…

"I hate you," I whispered then, no longer able to scream, my throat far too tired for that. Backing away from him, the back of my legs ran into the bed and I just sat down, defeated. "I really, really do."

"Oh, don't go crying now. That's all you ever do, Auden. You stir things up and then you-"

"Please just leave me alone, Eli." I rested my head in my hands then, closing my eyes tightly. "I'll leave in a minute and not bother you anymore. Or whatever it is you want. Just please-"

"That's not what I want, Auden."

I didn't say anything though, didn't feel the need to respond. I didn't look at him either, not even when I felt the bed dip next to me and his hand found its way onto my thigh.

"Hey," he whispered then, squeezing slightly. "Stop it."

When I still wouldn't look at him, Eli spoke again.

"Do you know how silly this is? Huh?" He let out a long sigh. "Aud, don't do this to me right now. Alright? Just take a breath. We-"

"I don't want it to be like this, Eli," I told him then, opening my eyes and turning to look at him full on. "I really don't."

"It doesn't have to," he assured me, though we both knew he was just trying to get me to calm down. "Seriously. Just…"

He was the one who kissed me. And I really didn't want him to. It was just so much easier, you know, not to fight it. Not to argue with him. It was so much easier to just give in. It was always easier to give in.

* * *

I laid around in bed with him for awhile after we finished. He just went to sleep though, not even putting jeans or boxers back on. Which was fine. I just laid there stroking his hair, debating whether or not I liked it better shaved or long. You know, anything to keep me from thinking about our fight.

When I finally did get out of bed, it was around six in the evening. We hadn't done in anything in hours and I was feeling extremely lazy. This was normal though for Eli. He'd go long periods with no sleep, staying up on alcohol fueled binges, until he finally passed out from exhaustion and got a few good ours of sleep.

I wasn't shocked to find the apartment was still empty, but was slightly worried about where exactly Jake had taken his grandfather. Then I remembered I didn't care and went on with what I was doing.

Heading into the kitchen, I immediately set out on making a pot of coffee, though I knew it was only for Eli. I had cut back severely on my coffee intake since I was pregnant. Both Karen and Heidi had suggested it and I went ahead and went along with what they said. After all, they were the ones that had been able to give birth, not me.

"God, I thought you had left."

Turning, I was shocked to find Eli standing in the doorway to the kitchen, naked, staring at me.

"And you thought it was a good idea to chase after me naked?"

He just stared. "Whatever got you to stay."

We were both silent after that as I went around the kitchen, wiping down the counters and picking up. It was just so normal to me, as it was what I'd usually do at home while I was waiting for the coffee to be ready.

Eli, for his part, went off to at least pull on some boxers, though that's all he came back in. I didn't say anything, not really concerned one way or another with him. He sat down at the table when he came back though, watching me. When the coffee was ready, he stood to get himself a cup, finally deciding to do something about the quiet.

"You didn't kill our baby, Auden."

I was working on pulling the trash bag out of the trashcan and didn't look at him. "Yeah, I know."

"And I…" He sighed, setting his cup down before going over to me and gently pushing me out of the way. Pulling the bag swiftly out himself, he said, "I'm sorry."

I stared at him for a moment before looking off. "You didn't kill Abe."

"I know."

"I'm sorry for what I said. You're not as bad as I make you out to be."

"Neither are you."

Shifting forwards, I rested my head on his upper arm, closing my eyes as I leaned into him as not to see his tattoo, forever reminding me of the worst day of my life. For a moment, we just stood there. Then, again, he had to be the one to say something.

"If I could go back, Auden," he whispered, pausing for a moment after that. "If I could go back, I wouldn't change a thing. Not if I knew it might mess up this moment. I wouldn't trade the world for you and my son. You know that."

"I know," I whispered, telling myself that was true. Forcing myself to believe that was true.

But was it?


	6. Chapter 6

Fresh Start

Chapter 6

I didn't stay with Eli that night. After we made up, I headed over to the Stocks with him, hoping to retrieve his grandfather. And even after we found out that he and Jake had not set foot in the house that day and Eli went out to find them, I stayed behind. It wasn't so much that I didn't want to go home with Eli, because I did. It was more that I didn't want to sleep on the floor or that couch again. Heidi was right; it's brutal on your back.

After dinner in which there was a stony silence, Karen went off to bed while Joseph stayed up in the living room, neither speak to the other. I wasn't shocked to find them still fighting, as it was a pretty heavy issue. I was shocked though that Joseph wasn't just caving to his wife like usual. That was a nice change.

For anyone other than Karen.

While Joseph sat down to watch war movies with Steven and await word on whether Eli was able to find his youngest son and his father, I went ahead and went to bed. I was taking Vinny's bedroom, who followed me in there. I told him to get the toys that he wanted for the night because I was going to sleep and didn't want him to come in and out of the room. He wasn't too happy with this, but did as I told him before running off for the living room again, no doubt to be around his grandfather.

And I can't say that I had a bad night's sleep. I was so tired from the past few hours that it was easy for me to fall asleep. I wasn't sure if I should be expecting Eli to come back later and get in bed with me or not, but figured he would just stay with his grandfather. After all, he could drink a lot more when I wasn't around.

Around two in the morning though, the sounds of Joseph and Karen going at it again woke me up. She was yelling at him about something and part of me wanted to go find out if something had happened, but the other part of me knew to just stay out of it. If it involved me directly, one of them would come get me. Either way though, I was certain that it would be the main topic of discussion in the morning regardless. So I just rolled back over and went to sleep.

"Auden?"

Until that woke me up. I had heard the door open and shut, but the person I was expecting was not who I got.

"Hmmm?"

"Are you still sleepin'?" Vinny crawled into bed with me, giggling slightly as he cuddled up against me.

"Mmmm."

"Oh."

Sighing slightly, I asked him, "What time is it, Vinny?"

"I dunno. I was waiting for Granny and Grandpa to get me up for church, but they never did. So I came to get you. I think they're still sleepin'."

"Why do you think that?"

"Because when I tried to go into their room, I couldn't open their door."

"They locked it."

"Mmmhmm." He snuggled against me, letting out another one of his childish giggles. I swear, there's nothing more annoying in the morning than little kid giggles. Expect maybe drunk boyfriend groans. "You gotta get ready for church too, huh?"

"You know that I don't go to church, Vinny."

"Will you get me ready then? Please? I don't wanna wake Granny and Grandpa up."

Groaning, I looked at the digital clock on the bedside, the red numbers the only source of light as the blinds were drawn shut tight. "What time do you even go to church?"

"When Grandpa says," he told me in that confidence that any young child had. Because that helped me out so much. I just groaned before shutting my eyes again.

"It's only seven," I told him then, trying to think of what time Eli normally left the house when he went. I couldn't remember the last time he had gone, though. "Why didm't you wake up your dad, Vinny? Or Jake?"

"'cause I wanted to wake you up," he told me. His obsession with me really got to me sometimes. I mean, honestly, I'm probably the least kid friendly person he knows. Even Jake is kinder than me when it comes to the children. "I was sleepin' with Daddy, but he was snoring so I came to get in bed with you."

"Why though?"

"I love you, Auden," he told me simply. "We're friends, ain't we?"

"The best," I sighed as he snuggled against me much to my dismay. I just pulled the blankets up around him and shut my eyes again, vowing to get up eventually and get him ready for church. It couldn't be that complex. Put him in a nice shirt, comb his hair, make sure his teeth get brushed. I really think he could do it alone, honestly. Still, Karen and Joseph had let me sleepover and I was hoping they did so until I went back home. Either that or they found a place for James.

Still, best laid plans and all, I didn't wake up again until noon. Vinny was up by that point, playing with some of his toy cars on the floor. The second he realized I was up, he said, "Good. You can make me lunch."

"Huh?" I frowned, looking around, confused for a moment.

"Grandpa and Granny went somewhere. They didn't make me no food or nothing. And Daddy went away too. Uncle Jake says that he only knows how to make cereal and I don't want cereal. I want lunch."

I just stared at him for a moment, processing what he had said. "Joseph and Karen just left you here?"

"I dunno. They were home when I went to get in bed with you, but when I woke up and went to go try and open their bedroom door again, it wasn't locked or nothing. They weren't there though. And Daddy was gone. Uncle Jake was still sleepin' and wasn't too happy when I woke him up, so I figured I shouldn't wake you up."

I just sat there for a moment before sighing. I hadn't brought any clothes with me to change into and really needed a shower. The plan had been to go back to Eli's in the morning, but given the time then, that was out.

"Come on, Vinny. Let's get you dressed, huh? And then we'll go over to Eli's and see if he wants to eat lunch with us."

"But I'm hungry now, Auden," he insisted. I was sure he was too, as dinner had been at seven the previous night and he hadn't had anything to eat since.

"I know," I said, sighing slightly. I was kind of hungry as well. "You can have a cookie, if your grandparents have any. Then we'll go eat with Eli, huh?"

Happy at the thought of getting a cookie, he hastily put his toys away before going over to his closet to pick out something to wear. I went ahead and skipped the whole hair combing thing because I just wasn't in the mood, though I did make him brush his teeth. Then, after the promised treat, we headed out to the apartment, as I had ridden with Eli to the Stocks and had no other way to get, but to walk.

Vinny whined, of course, about how hot it was. And I would give him that. It was hot. It would be a nice beach day…for someone else. I had been the one sentenced to Vinny duty for far too long. It was time for Jake or Eli to take over. Or even Karen and Joseph. James for all I cared.

"Auden, I'm bored."

"We'll be there in a minute," I told him, about done with his bratty attitude. "Gosh, Vinny, you act like you never have to walk. If we were at the beach right now, you'd be running up and down it, not complaining a bit. But because you're not-"

"The beach?" He perked right up, looking up at me with expectancy in his eyes. "Are you taking me to the beach?"

"Did I say that?"

Bring on full pout mode. Arms crossed, lip stuck slightly out, Vinny told me that he hated me and that I wasn't ever allowed to sleep in his bed again. I really didn't feel like fighting with him though, so I stuck to just ignoring him, even when he started whining. He was almost in a full on meltdown by the time we got to the apartment.

"-don't like you. You're not my friend. We wasn't ever friends. I-"

"What's going on?" Eli was on the other side of the door of course, sitting on his living room floor in his boxers while playing videogames. "Aud?"

I just came into the apartment, closing the door behind his nephew. "He's upset and hungry."

"Ugh. Take him back home."

"We can't," I told him as Vinny began to stomp his feet, hoping to get a rise out of one of us. "Your parents and older brother are gone. It's only Jake over there."

"Oh."

"Yeah."

"So…order a pizza," he told me, focused in on his videogames again. "And Vinny if you don't knock it off, I'll call your dad or Grandpa. Do you want that? Huh? Do you want to have Grandpa talk to you? Or Steven?"

"Yes," he yelled, almost crying at that point. "Anything is better than being with the two of you. I want them to come get me. Soon."

"Trust me, bud, you don't."

"Yes, I do," he said before letting out a long whine. "I hate you."

"Go to the bedroom," Eli said dismissively, clearly unaffected by his nephew's crying. "And don't come out."

"Make me."

"Vinny, if I pause this game and have to get up, I'm going to do more to you than just drag you into that bedroom and close the door. Do you want a spanking?"

Running off then, he let out one last yell, the sound of a door slamming letting us know he had made it.

"So how was your night?"

I gave Eli a glare as I walked over to him. "Not funny."

"Really? I wanted to know how your night went."

"Not well. Your parents freaking dumped Vinny on me like it was nothing,"

"Where'd they go?'

"I have no idea. The only person still at the house is Jake," I said as I went into the kitchen to get a drink. "Then I had to walk the whole freaking way with him. He complained the whole way."

"What's wrong with him?"

"I have no idea, but he needs to get it sorted out."

Eli sighed as I came back with a glass of water. "Last night was a long night, Auden. That's all."

"What happened?"

"Jake and Granddad got lost."

"Lost? How?"

"I dunno. Jake took him to some bar a few towns over-"

"Your grandfather?"

"Our grandfather."

"I don't get it. What did he think he was going to do with your grandfather at a bar?"

"Get drunk, I guess. Grandpa drove though and got turned around somewhere. Dad was real pissed at my brother."

"I'd bet," I said as I sat down next to him on the ground. "What happened?"

"Dad and I found them. Then Dad took Jake home and I took Granddad."

"Your parents were fighting last night. Like, the whole night."

"I figured as much."

"Then they were just gone this morning."

"Gone?"

"Well, they were here when Vinny first woke me up. He wanted to know if he had to go to church, because his grandparents never woke him up for it. He couldn't get to them because they had locked their bedroom door." I made a face at my boyfriend. "You don't think that your dad, you know, killed her, do you?"

"Auden," Eli scolded as he looked away from his videogames. "You know as well as I do that if one of them killed the other, it would totally be my mother offing my father."

Rolling my eyes, I leaned against his arm while staring athe television. "My stomach's upset."

"You're probably just hungry," he told me before pausing his game and reaching into his pocket. Pulling out his cell phone, he then said, "I'll order that pizza, huh?"

"Do we have money for a pizza?"

"I'm sure that I can scrape together a few dollars for a freaking pizza, Aud." He gave my head a kiss as he stood. "I'll be back."

"Where is your grandfather anyways?" I asked him then, looking around.

"He had been napping."

"And you sent Vinny in there with him because...?"

"Hey, it got him out of our hair, didn't it?" Eli smiled at me. "I'll call my parents too, huh? Tell them to come get him?"

"Sounds like a plan."

"Good deal." Eli patted me on the head before heading off into the kitchen to place that phone call. I just at there after he was gone, contemplating whether or not I should go rescue Vinny from the clutches of his grandfather. Then I had to debate with myself of whether it would be saving Vinny or James. In the end, I didn't have to save either, as after ten minutes, James came out of the bedroom, his great-grandson with him.

"Grandpa don't like you either, Auden," was the first thing Vinny announced to me. I just rolled my eyes as I stood up, struggling slightly as it was straight from the ground. James just headed out the front door, Vinny almost tagging along.

"Where are you guys going?" I asked, knowing that if the man could get lost with his grandson, he could very well end up killed with his great-grandson.

"To smoke," Vinny told me simply, to which James nodded.

"You stay," I told Vinny. "Come here."

"N-"

"Go, boy." James pushed his head, a lot harder than I would of. "Now."

Now also suspicious of his grandfather, Vinny headed over to me, frowning. "What?"

When James had shut the front door, I said, "You know better than to go outside by yourself."

"Wasn't going outside by myself," he argued. "I's going with Grandpa."

"Well, you know that you have to ask Eli or I before you-"

"I ain't gotta ask you anything, Auden," Vinny said then, his hysterical side working its way back over the calm. "You're not my mommy or my granny. So just leave me alone."

"Gladly," I said as Eli came back into the room. "You call your parents?"

"Yeah, they-"

"Good." Looking down at Vinny, I said, "You can just go home with them when they get here and never see me again."

"Good."

"Great."

Glaring heavily, Vinny ran over to the couch. "Eli, I'm hungry!"

"I already ordered a freaking pizza, buddy. I don't know what else you want." And with that, Eli checked out from society as he sat back down in front of the television and started playing his videogames again. The joys of dating a child.

When James came back into the apartment, he immediately announced to Eli that he was going to take a nap, which I was glad for. I couldn't wait to get rid of the old man now. I couldn't wait to get rid of them all, honestly.

Karen and Joseph arrived not soon after. It was before the pizza showed up though, much to the dismay of Vinny. He was in the middle of another meltdown when Eli answered the door and let his parents in. Honestly, I was only expecting one of them. After the fight they had the previous night, I thought it unlikely that the two of them would want to be together. Still, they showed up, laughing at something one of them had said when Eli opened the door. Seeing their grandson bawling put a stop to that though.

"Vincent," Karen scolded as she came into the apartment. "What is wrong with you?"

"I hate Auden and Eli! I don't wanna be with 'em no more," he cried as he immediately rushed to his grandmother's side, no doubt expecting comfort. The kid's an idiot, though. "Take me home."

"Karen," Joseph sighed as he moved to pick up their grandson. "He's clearly upset. Don't be mean to him."

She gave him a look though. "He's not a baby, Joseph."

"I know this," he said, bouncing his grandson as the boy cried into his shoulder. "But look at him. He's clearly upset."

I rolled my eyes. "He's just hungry is all. You guys weren't there to make him lunch, so I took him over here to eat with Eli. We ordered a pizza, but he still started flipping out."

"I hate Auden," Vinny told his grandpa. "Can you take me home now? I don't wanna be here no more."

"Put him down, Joey. He's fine. Just acting like a baby."

"I'm not a baby," Vinny yelled at his grandmother as her husband put him on the ground. "So don't call me one!"

"Hey." Joseph frowned down at the little boy. "Apologize to your grandmother and then I'll think about feeding you."

"Sorry!" Vinny ran over to the door, waiting to be let out. "I want my daddy!"

Karen closed her eyes for a moment, no doubt hiding the fact that she was rolling them. "We will be sure to call him during his break, Vinny, and tell him just what a bad boy you're being."

"Am not!"

"Where were you two anyways?" I asked then causing Karen to look off.

"We went to lunch," Joseph told me, smiling despite the fact that their grandchild was pitching a fit in the corner.

"Really," I said slowly causing Karen to frown at me.

"Yes, really. Why would you not think we-"

"Nothing," I said, shaking my head then. "I just heard you, uh, arguing last night and didn't think-"

"We did argue," Joseph said with a nod of the head. "And I'm sorry if we disturbed you."

"You really didn't," I told them while Eli went over to Vinny to stop him as he opened the door and tried to leave. "I'm just…shocked that the two of you made up so quickly."

"That's all we needed, Auden," Karen told me before glancing up at her husband. "We needed to finally have an argument about what's been going on recently to finally get passed it."

Joseph smiled at me then before wrapping an arm around Karen's shoulder. He spoke to Vinny though. "Come on then. We'll go get you some lunch if you promise to calm down."

Vinny had his arms crossed as he glared at his grandparents. "I want chucken nuggets."

"You're getting leftovers from dinner last night," Karen said as she and Joseph headed to the door. "Only good boys get chicken nuggets. Not bad babies."

"I'm not a baby!"

"Thank you, Auden, for taking care of him," Karen called over her shoulder as she and her husband left, dragging their crying grandson along behind them. "You can come spend the night again, if need be."

"Thanks," I said as Eli shut the door behind them. Then, still facing him, I asked, "Now what?"

"Now we wait for the pizza," he told me as he went back over to his game controller. "Or, well, you do. I'm going to play this."

"Of course you are," I sighed as I went to take a seat on the couch. "Of course you are."

* * *

"Eli. Auden. Heard about your little run in with Belissa."

I frowned at Wallace as we came into the bike shop. "From?"

"Jake," he told us. Eli just nodded at him before heading off into the back. "Who didn't come into work today."

"He got drunk with his grandfather last night."

Wallace just nodded, as if this were the most natural statement in the world. "Course he did."

Heading into the back with my boyfriend, I took a seat at his station as he went to open his toolbox.

"How long do you have to work today?"

"Till close," he told me, hardly glancing up. "I told you that you didn't have to come."

"Yeah, like I really wanted to stay in that apartment with your grandfather."

That got him to look up. "For an old man, he does have a lot of game."

"Do you really want me to vomit?"

Smiling slightly, Eli went back to his tools. "Mom and Dad said that they made up, but they never said what their plan was to do with Granddad."

"Isn't it obvious?"

"He can't stay. I told them that."

"You also know that out of sight, out of mind applies to your father."

Eli just groaned. "They can't honestly expect me to keep him."

"After you letting him get out of the house and off on an adventure with your brother, no, I don't think they really want that."

"He just needs to go back wherever the hell he was before."

"Eli," I scolded, though I mostly agreed. "And can you believe them anyways? Walking out fo the house to go to freaking lunch and sticking me with Vinny?"

"Yeah, I know."

"I'm happy for them and everything that they're finally back on good terms, but why does it have to be at my detriment?"

"Yeah, not even going to pretend that I know what that word means."

"Hasn't been word of the day yet?"

"Nope," he said with a shake of his head. "Hey, you know that your sister comes back to town tonight, right?"

"I'm aware."

"I mean, she's supposed to," he said. "Unless Heidi decided to make the trip an extended stay."

I made a face at him. "Thisbe has school."

"Yeah, I know."

"And besides, I'm sure that Heidi has to get back to work. Not to mention I doubt that guy wants her to stay."

Eli shrugged. "Was just saying."

"So where are we sleeping tonight?"

"Clyde told me that he has an old air mattress that I could borrow," he said. "We could use that, if you want. Blow it up in the extra bedroom. That cool?"

"I guess so."

"Good. I like you better with me than at my parents' house."

"You could have stayed with me."

"I don't see how they don't realize what a problem Granddad is over at my apartment."

"They see," I assured him. "They just don't care."

"Probably not." He nodded at me then. "You sure you want to stay here? You could always go somewhere else."

"Like?"

"Well, I might have a load of clothes in the back of my truck that I would like washed at the Laundromat."

"Eli-"

"It was just a suggestion."

Sighing as I got to my feet, I said, "I'm going to need some change for the machines."

"Of course, babe." He reached into his pocket before pulling out some quarters. "Thank you."

"You came prepared," I remarked as he put the coins in my open palm.

"Yeah, and if you need some more, just ask Clyde. He's probably in the back. He's always pretty cool about loaning me quarters."

"He's a good boss."

"He's a good friend." Eli kissed my head before smiling. "I'll be here when you're done."

"'kay."

"And then we can go talk to my parents, maybe. Figure out when they're getting my dad's father out of the apartment, huh?"

"Sounds great."

We kissed one more time before he let me leave, giving me the keys to his truck first. No part of me really wanted to do Eli's laundry, but I really had no other options. I didn't want to sit at the apartment alone with his grandfather, didn't want to be with his parents, and didn't want to stay at work with him. Colby sucks.

Over at the Laundromat, I found it mostly empty. It was never that busy, really. So after I put Eli's clothes in the washer, I didn't have much to do. I sat in a chair for a good five minutes before getting up to go over to the vending and soda machines against one wall.

I was planning on getting a bag of chips…until the freaking machine ate my dollar. That kind of ticked me off. I mean, it's one thing when it continually spits out your dollar. That's just annoying. But to eat my money and not give me what is mine is just stupid.

"Problem, sweetness?"

I glanced up as Clyde came out of the back room. "Your stupid vending machine ate my dollar."

"Ah." He came to stand behind me, also staring at the vending machine. "If you were hungry, you could have always come back there. I made a pie last night."

"I wanted Cheetos."

"Then you'll get Cheetos." Reaching around me, he put in his own dollar before pressing the number for the item I wanted. Of course it worked. Of course. "See? Simple."

I made a face at him as he bent over to get the baggie out of the machine. "Thanks."

"Of course." After handing it to me, he went over to the soda machine. "Want a water?"

Without waiting for me to answer, he put another dollar in before getting me on. Then, handing that off as well, he took a look around.

"Your boyfriend working today?"

"Right now."

"Good. And Jake?"

"He's…"

Clyde sighed slightly before smiling at me. "You don't plan on marrying into that family do you, Auden?"

"Not at all," I said with a shake of my head.

"Good." He patted me on the shoulder before heading back to the other room again. "I wouldn't suggest it."

* * *

After a rough night with Eli sharing a blowup mattress, the last thing that I wanted to do was go out to lunch with Heidi and Karen. However, the only options for my lunch the next day were leftover pizza or nothing. So, when Heidi offered to pay for me, there was really no way I could refuse. Not to mention, Eli was working and the kids were in school so I really had nowhere else to go.

"So how was last night, Auden?" was the first thing Karen asked me after we were seated at the restaurant, menus in front of us. "You didn't show back up at our house."

Heidi made a face at me. "You didn't sleep on the floor, did you?"

"No, Heidi," I told her with an eye roll. "Clyde gave us a air mattress."

"Oh, so much better."

I gave her a look. "It's just until I go back home. Or until James leaves."

"Mmmm, already taken care of," Karen told me as she reached forward to take a biscuit out of the basket on the table. "Joseph called Koda. He'll be here Wednesday to pick up their father."

"Where's he going to take him though?" I asked, concerned. I thought the whole reason that James was down in Colby was because Koda and his daughters didn't want him.

"That's not my problem," Karen told me bluntly before looking at Heidi. "How was your weekend away?"

"Thisbe was miserable the whole time. Apparently, you guys took Vinny to the beach."

Making a face, Karen said, "Joey was just kidding. I didn't think she took him seriously."

"So I can safely assume that the two of you made up now that James is leaving?"

She nodded. "We made up before though. It's because we made up that he even thought of this."

"What do you mean?"

"Joseph was content with keeping James at Eli's apartment until the baby came. We got into a big argument though and I was able to convince him to-"

"Argument? I thought you said you made up?" Heidi asked with a slight frown.

"We did," Karen told her before glancing at me. "We just argued first. It was a big one. Yelling and screaming."

"Did you cry? Always works for me," Heidi said to which I more or less agreed. At the very elast, it typically delayed the problem until a later date.

"No," Karen said, rolling her eyes. "We really got into the fight though, yelling at each other, screaming. Then, during the middle of it, I just realized how silly it all was. And when I started laughing, so did Joseph. Then I told him that I refused to be around his father, that that was my bottom line. He told me his was the way I had been moping around the house recently. And then from there, we just…"

"You just what?" Heidi was staring hard at her. "Just what, Karen? Say it."

"You know perfectly well what I'm talking about." Karen blushed slightly, a first for me. "And after, we talked some more. It was so late then that we decided to sleep in and skip church in the morning and go out to an early lunch later."

"Yeah, that went over well," I mumbled.

"What?" Heidi asked. "I leave town for three days-"

"Vinny just threw a fit when we weren't there to make him lunch is all," Karen said. "He was with Auden and Eli when we got him. You know how horrible he can be when he hasn't slept well and is hungry."

"Oh, yes," Heidi said as the waitress came back. "I know exactly how horrible he can be."

After we had ordered, Heidi went into some long spiel about the guy she had stayed the weekend with. Though I knew as a fact that Karen thought that Heidi's…dating wasn't completely right, I also knew that Heidi wasn't like the other women in Colby. Or at least not like the older women that Karen had to surround herself with. Karen's only real connection to the younger women was Heidi and boy did she thrive off it. I'm sure it had somewhat to do with the fact that at Heidi's age, Karen had a child and a husband, already tied completely down. Though Heidi did possess one of those things, she was still completely free in other regards.

"What did you do this weekend then, Auden?" Heidi asked me then. "While I was away?"

"Well," I said slowly, not sure where to begin or even what to share. Then I figured to hell with it and just went for it. "Eli and I went out to lunch."

"Right," Karen said, nodding her head before taking a sip of her glass of water the waitress had brought. "With that woman that you met. I'm sorry, dear, I don't recall her name."

"That's because I didn't know it then," I told her before looking at Heidi. "You'll never guess who she was though."

"Who?"

"Mandy Norwood."

Karen frowned at me. "You can't be serious."

"I am," I told her, nodding. "And she had invited her sister."

"Who are the Norwoods again?" Heidi asked. "And why do I care?"

"Belissa was Eli's ex-girlfriend," I told her. "The one he was with when-"

"When he was in high school," Karen cut me off, clearly not wanting me to mention Abe's name. She was out of luck though, because now that I had told that part of the story, I was going to continue into the next phase. "His only girlfriend during high school, really."

Heidi frowned. "The ones that own the bakery?"

"Yes."

"Well, they do make good cookies," Heidi told me. "So anyways."

"Anyways, Eli was all mad at me for not knowing that Mandy was Belissa's sister," I went on. "And then she asked us what we were naming the baby and we got into a fight over that too, once we were in the car."

"Honestly, the two of you fought over something so childish?" Karen shook her head at me before remembering her most recent fight with her husband. "Or, at least, the two of you should have been able to handle that better."

"It wasn't just over the name though," I told them.

"Then what was it?" Heidi asked.

"Eli wants to, you know, name the baby after…Abe."

It was finally Heidi's turn to make a face while Karen just sighed.

"Ew. You can't name the baby that," Heidi said.

"I know, right?"

"I mean, no disrespect to the dead, of course," Heidi quickly covered. "And it would be a very honorable thing to do, but-"

"Considering you named your child Thisbe, Heidi, I don't think your opinion matters much on the subject," Karen interjected, clearly not liking the way we were speaking. Then, to me, she said, "You have to understand, sweetheart, that Eli-"

"No, I understand plenty," I cut her off. I mean, I thought that we were all at lunch as adults; not as Karen and Heidi being grown while I was a child that needed explaining to. "I just don't care. It's my son too. And I don't like that name. Nothing is going to make me like that name."

"That's what I thought about Thisbe," Heidi told me. "And I've…grown on it."

"She has to go by freaking Caroline at school," I told Heidi.

"By choice."

"Right. By choice. And my son would choose to-"

"Abe is not as odd as Thisbe," Karen told me. Then, to Heidi, she said, "I'm sorry. I just-"

"No, it is a weird name," she agreed. "What did you tell him though, Auden?"

"No. I told him no the night before that too. And then, when we were at lunch, he acted like that was going to be the baby's name. And it's not. At all. So he can just get that out of his head."

"Auden, you have to be-"

"No, Karen, I don't," I said, my tone coming off as harsher than I meant for it to. But I mean, come on. Eli might be her son, but he was my boyfriend. He was the father of my son. That trumps her. It will always trump her. I mean, it sure trumps when it comes to Joseph's family.

"Excuse me?"

"Auden-"

"No," I said, cutting Heidi off. "Eli needs to grow up. You all baby him about it, but that's part of the problem. Abe's dead. That's just it. Gone. He's not coming back. And the longer you all let him think that something's going to change that, the worse he is for me to deal with. That's not fair."

Karen was glaring heavily at me. Not as bad as she had been at her father-in-law, but pretty dang close. "You know, Auden, last time I checked, Eli is my son. And what I do with him is-"

"And Joseph is James' son," I challenged. "But you don't like to hear that, do you?"

Heidi was clearly uncomfortable at that point. It was obvious.

"Perhaps we can all talk about something else, huh?" She looked between Karen and me. "Or-"

"He is," she told me. "However, he's been my husband for years."

"And Eli's been my boyfriend for-"

"Has he? Because last time I checked, a year ago today, you wouldn't even talk to him."

"Karen-"

"Yeah, but you sure did a fine job babying him back into a little boy while I was gone," I retorted.

"I cared for him, when you-"

"When I went off to school? Because last time I checked, neither of your youngest sons have been able to accomplish that."

Auden-"

"Eli is doing just fine here and so is Jake," Karen said then, her tone sharper than mine, her gaze shaper, eyes darker. "They-"

"You baby them. You've said it, they say it, everyone says it. You just don't do anything about it." I was indignant now as I sat up straighter. "If Eli wasn't in Colby with you and was at home with me, he'd-"

"He'd what? Drink you into debt? Because last time I checked, Auden, you don't have him on too tight a leash either." She shook her head at me as the waitress came over with our meal. "You're nothing, but a child."

Even after we got our food, we all just sat there for a moment. Then Heidi let out a long breath.

"Well, I for one think that we should just turn our attention to something else, hmmm?" She looked around the restaurant before leaning closer to us. "I can tell you _all_ the details about my weekend. All of them. And by that I mean…well, you know."

Karen leveled her gaze with mine before glancing at Heidi and nodding slightly. And just like that I was unimportant again. It's not like I really wanted to hear about my ex-stepmother talk about a weekend she spent with some guy that she probably won't date longer than a month, but I really had no other options.

I was starting to think that the day spent alone at the apartment wasn't looking so bad.

* * *

"Really, Auden?"

I just stared up at my boyfriend. "In my defense, she was the one who-"

"I don't care."

I had been lying on the air mattress in the extra bedroom when Eli came into the room. I had been there since I got home from lunch. I had spent most of the day napping, but apparently that was over.

"What? Did she call you?" I made a face at him. "She argued with me, Eli."

Shaking his head, he went to lay down on the mattress with me. "You need to stop fighting with my family, Auden."

"Coming from the guy that argues with my brother every time he sees him?"

"Why were you even with her?"

"We went out to lunch."

"That's the fucking problem," he told me, turning so that he could rest his hand on my stomach. "Why the heck do the two of you need to go out together? You don't. Just stay away from each other."

"I'm in the same town as her, Eli. Not to mention you drag me over there every other day to eat dinner with them."

"Yeah, when I'm there. The two of you alone together is obviously not a good idea."

"Obviously."

"Then just stay away from her."

Sighing, I reached out to lay my hand over his. "Are you upset with me?"

"No," he sighed, rubbing slightly against my flesh. "I just… We just fought the other day, Aud."

"Yeah, I know."

"I don't want to anymore. I thought that was the deal? That we wouldn't anymore?"

"I don't remember making that deal," I told him. "But even if I did, I know that there is no way that would ever work. We fight constantly."

"That's the problem." He snuggled against me. "Now that you've ruined our dinner plans-"

"She fought with me. Besides, we have left over pizza."

"Yuck."

"You eat leftovers all the time," I told him. "You'll probably get drunk anyways and not be able to eat."

"Probably," he sighed. "Or I might just go out tonight and leave you here alone with my grandfather."

"Maybe."

He smiled a little bit. "Is he even here?"

"I think he's in the bedroom, sleeping."

"Mmmm."

"He was taking a shower when I first got back, but that was hours ago."

"I wish he'd just leave already."

I stroked my boyfriend's arm. "Your mother said that your uncle is coming down Wednesday to get him."

"Really? To take him where?"

"I dunno. I think it's part of the reason that your mother and father, you know, made up."

"Just glad they're happy again."

"Yeah. Lock the door happy."

I got a glare for that. "Auden-"

"She's the one at lunch that said that they…did that. When Heidi was talking about her weekend or whatever." I gave a faux shiver. "I mean, God, like I really wanted to know they still have sex. I mean, I knew they did, but hearing her allude to it-"

"Can we stop talking about this?"

"I'm honestly shocked your father can still, you know, get it up."

"Auden-"

"Though I guess he could always just use pill- Eli!" He had pinched my side. "God, you-"

"I'll do it again if you don't stop talking about this," he warned. "'cause I'm sure that Dr. Victoria West and Robert West are pretty damn kinky."

"You're sick."

"I mean, God, how many other younger women was he with besides Heidi when they were separated?"

"Eli-"

"Dr. Victoria West must be doing _something_ to compete with all that. I mean, compare her to Heidi. The things Heidi would be willing to do versus what she would be willing to do. Think about it. Heidi's young. She-"

"I am about to leave."

"Oh what? It was fine when you said it?"

I glared at him. "I bet Karen and Joseph are just as kinky."

"As if."

"If not more," I argued. "They've been married since they were what? Nineteen? Twenty? They have to be doing something for one another. There's no way they're still having sex the same way."

"Shut up, Auden."

"You know it's true. Karebear and Joey. Ha."

I got pinched again which caused me to hit at Eli's hands.

"You do realize that if you hurt me, you're hurting the baby right?"

He frowned. "Am not."

"Are too."

"Poor baby." He patted my stomach gently. "Our little boy."

Smiling at him, I said, "I like the name Ernest."

He blinked. "You can't be serious."

"That's an author. Ernest Hem-"

"No. Absolutely not."

"You're no fun."

"I'm no fun. Right." He gave my head a kiss. "Auden."

"What?"

"I want what they have," he mumbled, stroking my stomach gently.

"What who has?"

"I want to be able to love each other so much that we can fight like that, get real angry, yell and scream, and then at the end of the day be okay." He kissed my cheek then. "I want what my parents have, you know? To be like that. To care like that."

I turned my head then to kiss him. "But don't we?"

"What do you mean?"

"We fought Saturday. Tooth and nail. But look at us now. Look at what we did that night. We were fine. Just like them."

"I want to be just like them."

"Not completely like them," I said after a moment.

"Yeah, not completely."

"Like, I don't want to cook you dinner every night."

"And yeah, I don't want to go out of my way to do stuff for you. Or even go in my way to do things for you."

"And I don't clean if you don't clean."

"And I'm not too good at buying you gifts."

"And I-"

"So let's not be my parents then," he cut me off.

"Sure," I said, nodding my head slightly. "Let's be us."

"Yeah," Eli sighed as he pressed another kiss to my cheek. "Let's be us."


	7. Chapter 7

Fresh Start

Chapter 7

Turns out my fight with Karen was not only no longer existent, but also no longer necessary. Her annoyance with me was quickly shifted to a more familiar enemy. Her brother-in-law, Koda.

It should now be mentioned that all the times I had met Koda, he had been pleasant enough. And he seemed to be the only one in Joseph's family that Karen could at least tolerate. This didn't seem to be the case the day he came down to get his father.

Honestly, the last place I had wanted to be that day was at the Stock house, but I really had no choice. Eli had to take his grandfather over there and wanted me to go along. I guess I could have said no, but that didn't seem like an option at the time. Eli and I were trying hard not to fight and telling him no, I didn't want to go over to his parents could spark another argument between us. It seemed best to just go along. This turned out to be the best choice I had made all break, as it was there that I got to witness the drama all for myself.

Much like Thanksgiving, Karen showed me her distaste by just ignoring me. It was Vinny that let us into the house, giggling just at the sight. I guess his meltdown the day before was all forgotten and he didn't remember that he hated us only the day before. It's not like that came to as a shock to me, considering that's normally how Vinny's temperament worked.

"Auden! Eli! Grandpa!" He had called for us, but it was me that he wrapped his arms around. I frowned at this, but did give his head a little pat. "You came."

"What'd he say?" James was asking, but Eli just shook his head, continuing on into the hosue. This must have sufficed for James, as he did as well. Vinny was still wrapped around me though, stopping that from happening.

"Uh, Vinny? Are you okay?"

"I missed you," he told me. "You didn't come spend the night last night."

"I didn't need to. And I won't need to anymore."

He let me go then, frowning. "Did you bring Thisbe was you?"

"No," I said, leading him back inside before closing the door behind me. "Thisbe doesn't need to be here for everything, does she?"

"Guess not," he mumbled before looking at his grandfather, who was sitting in his chair, watching TV. "Thisbe didn't come, Grandpa."

"That's okay," he told him. "I'm sure you saw her at school today, didn't you?"

"Yeah, but it ain't the same." He was quickly distracted from his pain by the cat coming into the room. It took one look at him before turning and trying to run off, no doubt remembering whatever past horror Vinny had inflicted upon it. "Gambit!"

And with that, the boy ran off, chasing the cat back into the kitchen. I made a face before looking at the couch. I had planned to take a seat there, but Eli, Jake, and their grandfather had filled up all the space. Great. Now I had to go to the kitchen.

I was shocked and happy to find Karen absent from it for once. Vinny was in there though, having caught his kitty and was cradling it in his arms. The cat looked petrified, but Vinny wasn't doing anything to it that I could reprimand him for. Not at the moment at least. Eli had told me last week, Vinny had thrown it in the bathtub full of water, stepped on its tail countless times, and painted part of its fur with his finger-paints. Karen had been really upset by this and told him that if he hurt her cat one more time, he wouldn't be allowed to be around it anymore. Since then, Vinny had acted very kind to the kitty, but I wasn't holding my breath.

"Gambit is happy that you're here, Auden," he told me then with true sincerity.

"Is he?"

Vinny nodded. "He's happy that I'm here too!"

"Really now."

"Mmmhmm."

"Well, you know that you have to be very kind to the kitty, right?"

"Yes," he said, nodding his head. "And I am. I take very good care of Gambit. I pet him and bathe him and-"

"Vinny, I thought that your Dad told you not to try and bathe the cat anymore?"

"I don't," he said. "I was just saying."

"And I was just reminding you." Going over to the fridge, I opened it to pull out a bottle of water. "Did you want something, Vinny? Are you thirsty?"

"I want a soda."

"How about water?"

"Ew."

"Juice?"

'Guess so." He put the cat down to rush over to me, as was my plan all along. "Can I have a cookie too?"

"I dunno. Have you been good?"

"Yes."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, Auden," he whined, staring up at me. "All day."

"Well, if you were good all day, I don't see why you can't have one." I neglected to tell him that it was only one in the afternoon and the day had only just begun for most people. My boyfriend at least. Besides, if it kept him quiet, I was fine with it.

"That's how come I like you so much," he said as I handed him off a cup of juice and a cookie. "'cause you give me stuff."

"Is that the only reason?"

"No. You're nice too." He patted my leg before taking his cookie and juice with him into the living room. "Look what I got, Grandpa."

Rolling my eyes, I went to go sit down at the table, planning on sending Maggie a text or two to see if she was busy. It felt like forever since I had been home. And I knew that I would be back there Thursday night, but I still missed it. Even though I was always alone over there or with the brother that I loathed, I couldn't help the fondness that I had formed for the place. The thought of staying in Colby right after I gave birth instead of there bothered me.

"Ah, Auden. I thought I heard you guys pull up."

I frowned when Karen came in from the backdoor. She smiled at me though, so I had to return it then. Of course. It was only the day before that we got into a disagreement, but she seemed to have forgiven me. On the outside anyway. I'm sure she was just waiting for me to fail on the inside.

It was then that I realized the reason that Karen was so happy was because she was getting what she wanted. James was leaving that day, meaning Karen had won. Then again, if she honestly thought for a second that she'd lose her husband, I'd go get her evaluated. Joseph would kill himself for his wife; the most I could get was Eli to cry at my funeral.

"Granny, Auden gave me juice. Look." Vinny came back into the room, holding up his juice, the cookie already gone. "She didn't give you one though, 'cause she likes me better. Duh."

Karen just sighed slightly, staring at her grandson for a moment before shaking her head. Even Vinny couldn't ruin that day for her. Vinny, realizing that his grandmother wasn't going to play into him, headed over to the table. Pulling a chair out next to me, he quickly climbed up there.

"Hi, Auden," he said, setting his cup on the table before reaching over to pat my stomach. "How is the baby?"

I just smiled at him. "Are you worried about him?"

"Nah. I's just wonderin'. I'm rosy."

"I think you mean nosey."

I got a look from him for that before he slowly went back to sipping drink. Karen stared at us for a long moment before practically prancing off to the living room, no doubt to see her husband. I just focused back on Vinny as he patted my tummy again.

"Is your baby gonna look like Eli? Since he's a boy?"

"I dunno, Vinny."

"Hmmm." He stared hard at my stomach then. "Aunt Linda's havin' a baby too."

"I know."

"I'mma like your baby better."

"Vinny," I said gently. "They'll both be your cousins and you'll love them."

"I don't love nobody, Auden," he told me then, puffing out his chest. "'cept for my mommy and my sissy."

"You love tons of people, Vinny. Think."

"Mmmm…I guess I love Grandpa sometimes. And my bubby."

"What about your dad?"

"Mmmm…Okay."

"And your uncles?"

"I like Kevin. He's funny."

"What about Eli, sweetie?"

"Him too. And Jake."

"And your grandmother? Don't you love her too?"

"I guess."

"So see? You love a lot of people," I said, patting him on the shoulder. He just giggled.

"I love you too."

"That's sweet."

Nodding, he said, "At school today, I helped Nathan bury a dead bird. Or I tried. Then Ms. Hallsworth came and yelled at us."

"You shouldn't play with dead birds," I told him gently.

"That's what she said. I was being sweet though, huh? Burying the bird?"

"You just shouldn't play with dead things, sweetheart."

He poked my stomach then, staring at it once more. "What does the baby do in there?"

"I guess sleep."

"You don't know?"

"It's not a baby, baby in there, Vinny."

"Then what is it?" He made a face. "Are you gonna have an alien?"

"No." I pushed his head gently. "He's still growing. That's why he's in my stomach."

"Oh." Vinny nodded slightly. "Is he eating vegetables?"

"Something like that."

"Hmmm."

"Why are you so interested all of a sudden, Vinny?"

"I dunno." He was rubbing my stomach then. "Can I hold 'im? When he comes?"

"Maybe. We'll see."

"I'mma be a good cousin. I already am, you know."

"I know."

"I'll be a better cousin than Thisbe will be."

"Thisbe won't be the baby's cousin, Vinny," I told him.

"She won't?"

"No, silly. She's my sister."

He frowned. "Then what will she be?"

"The baby's aunt."

This was news to the little boy who immediately jumped down, stomping off to the living. "Granny! Eli! I wanna be an aunt too. It ain't fair."

I rolled my eyes as I got up too. "Vinny, knock it off."

"No." He came to a stop in front of his grandfather, hands on his hips. "Where is Granny, Grandpa?"

"In her room, I would assume, Vinny. But I don't-"

"I wanna be an aunt!"

"Buddy, calm down," Eli said. "The way your sister acts, I'm sure you'll be a uncle in no time."

"Eli," I hissed at him as Jake snickered.

"That is not funny," Joseph said, frowning at his son. "That is my granddaughter and your niece. If I ever hear you-"

"What'd the boy say? Eh?" James started up, quickly derailing Vinny's anger.

"Eh?" Vinny mimicked, giggling again. "Eh? Eh?"

It was then that the doorbell rang, Karen suddenly appearing from the back rooms.

"That must be Koda," she said, sounding far too cheerful. She practically sang the words. Joseph clearly wasn't going to say anything to her, knowing that he had just gotten her back on her good side the other day. She beat me to the door in her joy, quickly opening it. As expected, her brother-in-law was on the other side of the door. Only he didn't look too happy.

"Karen," the man said stiffly before pushing passed her into the house. Vinny quickly rushed over to him.

"Eh, Uncle Koda? Eh? Eh?" Vinny giggled, staring up at him. "Is everyone here?"

Koda just patted him on the head before looking to his brother. "You've really done it this time, Joseph."

Frowning, Joseph stood up. "What are you talking about?"

I immediately sensed the tension on the room and took Vinny's hand before leading him back into the kitchen. He was looking over his shoulder though at his grandfather, clearly interested.

"Hey, Vinny," I whispered to him. "You know that soccer ball in the garage? Can you go get it for me? Please?"

He seemed conflicted for a moment before remembering that he was trying to be an awesome cousin. "For the baby?"

"For the baby."

"Okay," he said slowly before heading to the garage door. I stood near it, leaving him to look for it while staring into the living room.

"-let some woman kick our father out of the house-"

"I'm not letting some woman do anything, Koda," Joseph interrupted. "My wife was uncomfortable with Dad here. And when my wife's uncomfortable-"

"Oh, shut up, boy," Koda said, shaking his head. He and Joseph when side by side, didn't look alike at all. Not their faces at least. Still though, the few times I had seen the Koda at parties, I immediately recognized the similarities. They even still wore their hair the same way. Not to mention they carried themselves the same, always seeming extremely happy and friendly.

Other than at that moment. Because right that second, I wouldn't have thought either of them were the men I knew them to be. Once again, I was getting way more than I had asked for in the Stock household. I don't know why it surprises me at this point.

"Hey, knock it off, guys," Karen said, moving to stand by her husband's side. She didn't look nearly as giddy anymore. "You said that you would take James for now, Koda. That's all we want. Joseph isn't a little boy. You're not going to lecture him in his own home."

"Oh, is that what I'm not going to do, Karen?" Koda shook his head at her. "I don't know when you started thinking you could order me around, woman, but-"

"You're in my house, Koda," she reminded him, glaring heavily at the man then. "And I don't want you or your father here. So just get his stuff and leave."

Koda was as tall as Joseph, if not slightly taller, and bent down to look Karen directly in the eyes as he said, "You've got a lot of fucking nerve, woman."

"Hey." Joseph shoved his brother back then. No, he literally shoved him.

Now, I had seen Joseph getting pretty angry with his sons before, especially Jake. He might toss them around some and had even spanked Vinny a few times, but never I had I seen him buck up that way. Sensing a fight brewing, Eli jumped up to go stand by his father, no doubt planning on grabbing him if need be. Jake did the exact opposite and rushed into the kitchen to stand near me.

"You can say whatever the hell you want to me, Koda, I don't care, but you will not curse at my wife. Ever."

"Woo," Jake mumbled in my ear. "If I did not learn that the hard way when I was a kid."

"You would curse at your mother?" I whispered, frowning at him.

"A few times. Dad never really hit us, but boy if the belt didn't come out then. Once when I was seven, I hit her. Worst day of my life when Dad found out."

I was focusing on what was going on in the living room at that point, frowning when Koda glared down at his little brother.

"Always defending her, huh? You make me sick. Kicking Dad out in the cold-"

"You wouldn't take him either," Joseph said, breathing heavily. "He's rude to my wife. I know you don't get what it's like to actually, you know, keep one of those for a long time, but I do. And she still means way more to me than any of you ever have. So take Dad and just go. I don't care what you do, I don't care what you think. This is my house, this is my family. Karen is my family. You act like that towards her, you no longer get to be in that family. So leave."

Koda sneered then, staring at his younger brother a moment before shaking his head. "Eli, get Dad's bags. Come, Dad. Let's go."

Eli rushed to do as he was told, probably glad to not only get rid of his grandfather, but also avoid his father and uncle's ego battle. He helped James out of the house, taking the suitcase he had brought in with them. The second Koda was gone, Joseph turned to his wife, staring down at her.

"Joseph, you didn't have to-"

"He's not going to yell at you," he told her simply as he moved to cup her face in his hands. Jake made a barfing noise before rushing out of the house as well, probably to go tell his grandfather goodbye. After all, he had been a nice drinking partner for him.

"Are you okay?" Joseph asked his wife then. "Karebear?"

"I'm fine, Joey. You better go make up with your brother before he leaves."

"I'm not going to."

"Joseph-"

He just pressed a kiss to her forehead. "He's gone now, Karen. Let's just go back to the way things were before, huh?"

It was then that I heard whining next to me. Turning to my side, I found Vinny standing there, staring in at his grandparents. He was upset, like he usually was when he saw someone yelling at another person. He didn't like for other people to get angry with one another; only for him to get angry at other people.

"I thought I told you to-"

"I couldn't find it," he told me, holding his arms out to be picked up. I readily did so, sighing while I was at it. "Can I go take my nap?"

"Mmmhmm." I bounced him slightly before moving to walk into the living room. Joseph was standing there, staring out the window as his brother and father left, his wife next to him. When she saw me though, she made a face.

"Auden, you don't have to carry him. He's not a baby," Karen said, sighing. "And you're starting to get too pregnant to carry him around, dear."

Her kindness was shocking before I remembered her anger was no longer directed towards me, but rather at her brother-in-law. Still, I just shook my head.

"He's not that heavy," I told her as he whined.

"Here." Joseph moved to take him from me, but Vinny resisted. "What's wrong, boy?"

"No," he said, holding tight to me. "I'mma go nap. No, Grandpa."

I think he still thought his grandfather was angry and didn't want to have to deal with him. I guess. Still, I just shook my head before heading off to Vinny's room, the boy snuggled in my arms.

"Can you lay down with me?" Vinny asked when I sat him down on his bed. "Auden?"

"Oh, Vinny-"

"I think the baby wants to nap too," he told me. "Take your shoes off. I don't like my bed to get dirty."

Making a face at him, I did as asked before slowly moving to lie down on the bed next to him. "Do you take naptime at school?"

"Yeah, but I need another one. I'm a very tired person."

I just smiled at him as he snuggled against my side. "Why does that not surprise me?"

Vinny giggled some before settling out. Then, after a moment, he asked, "Why was Grandpa yellin' at Uncle Koda?"

"Vinny-"

"I thoughts they were brothers?"

"They are," I told him gently. "But sometimes you fight with your brother. Don't you and Jordan fight?"

"That's different. Grandpa don't fight with no one. 'specially not his bubba. He loves his bubba."

"I know he does."

"When he yells, he's scary."

"He's just Grandpa, Vinny," I told him. "And he would never yell at you that way. Never. You're his grandson. He's loves you very much."

"Koda's his brother," the little boy pointed out.

"That just goes to show you how much he loves you that he wouldn't yell at you like he would his own brother." I smiled down at him. "You just don't realize, Vinny, how many people love you."

He fell asleep not soon after that and though I laid there for some time, I couldn't. Eventually I got up, being very conscientious of the little boy in bed with me as not to wake him, and headed back to the living room. Eli was in there, stretched out on the couch while playing videogames. Jake was on the floor under him, watching.

"Where are your parents?" I asked them.

"They went to the store or something," Jake told me, his brother too zoned out to say anything. "Well, Mom did. Dad's outback."

"Doing what?"

"You can't hear the lawnmower?"

Making a face, I went over to the game system and unplugged it. That got my boyfriend to shoot up.

"What the hell, Auden?" He advanced on me quickly. "What are you-"

"You're letting your father mow the grass, when both of you are in here playing videogames?" I shook my head at both of them. "Go out there, Eli and-"

"Plug it back in," he told me. "Now."

"No."

"Auden-"

"You go out there and then you can play."

"I don't know who the hell you think-"

"Go, Eli."

He stalked off them, through the kitchen and out the backdoor, slamming it on the way out. Jake looked towards the sound before slowly moving to get up on the couch and pick up his brother's discarded controller. Then he looked at me.

"Plug it in, Auden."

I just pointed. "Go."

"You're no fun."

"Now."

I didn't have a lot of time to myself after they were gone, as not soon after Karen got back home, having gone to the store for a few things for dinner that night. Which is how I got roped into helping her put away the groceries. It was while we were doing that that Joseph came back into the house, sweaty and tired.

"The boys came to help you, I see," Karen said.

"I told them that they could play their little game, but they told me Auden wouldn't let them." Joseph pressed a kiss to his wife's head before going to get a glass of water. "They're not too happy with you, Auden."

"It's silly that they're both inside, playing games, when they used to cut your grass all the time."

"They're always lazier right after winter ends," Karen told me. "Once summer begins, Eli will be move vigilant about getting over here to help."

"What are you making, Karen?" Joseph asked after he had gotten his water. "Stew?"

"Chili."

"Mmmm. I was far off."

I was busy putting some cans of vegetables in the cupboard then and was hardly paying attention to them. Karen though kept talking.

"Did you call your brother while I was gone, Joey?"

"I told you I wasn't."

"Oh, Joseph, you-"

"Karen, it's over for the day. I told you, we're going back to normal." He headed into the living room. "Eli's using the mower and Jake's using the-"

"You gave Jake something?" I could hear the worry in Karen's voice. "What?"

"The edger. He-"

"Oh, Joseph, you know that he's not good at-"

"Karen, he's a grown man."

"So are you. You should go edge while Eli mows. Jake isn't-"

"You can't be serious," he said.

But she was.

"Joey, he-"

"Karen, honestly."

She huffed slightly. "Well, if he cuts himself again-"

"With an edger?"

She didn't answer him though, going back to the hamburger meat she was cooking. I hope to God I'm never like that with my son. Seriously.

* * *

My trip back home was more of a blessing than I thought it would be. By the time I left, Eli's anger with me had bubbled over into pure hatred, all because I made him get off his ass and help his father. You know, because that' like a sin or something.

After a week with the Stocks though, some time without them would be very welcome. The whole way home, I was almost dreading the thought of ever going back to Colby. It was by far the most annoying place I had ever encountered. Ever.

Then again, I knew that this was just the homesick part of me. Give it a week and I'd be tired of the loneliness and solitude, awaiting my chance to see Eli and his family again. Most of his family anyways. I could go a long time with out Jake before missing him. A long time. Like five years a long time. If not more.

Anyways, when I got home, I found that the drama of my spring break wasn't over just yet. I could tell from the second I opened the door that something was off. Mainly because for some reason, Hollis wasn't passed out on the couch. I figured though that he had just gone to a friends house or something. Which was great. I was hardly alone with him around. If he was gone, even better.

It wasn't until I made it to my bedroom that I found that I wasn't alone, he hadn't gone to a friend's house, and that drama was just a constant part of my life.

"What hell?" was the first thing out of my mouth after going into my bedroom. Hollis just looked at me before rolling his eyes.

"Could you turn off the light? I'm not feeling well."

It was Maggie that looked most shocked to see me. "Auden-"

"Ew. God, seriously?" I dropped my bag. "Maggie, he's my fucking brother."

"You said you wouldn't be home until-"

"Don't turn this around on me. This isn't my fault." I frowned at her. "God, I can't believe you. And in my bed."

"Aud, chill." Hollis rolled onto his back, wiggling his bare butt against my sheets. I about throttled him. Swear. "Get the hell out, Maggie. You heard her."

"Don't talk to her that way," I said, frowning at him as she hit him in the shoulder. Then she quickly pulled the blankets back up around herself. You know, 'cause she can have sex in my bed or whatever. She just can't let me see her boobs. "God, Hollis. I'm going to kill you."

"What?" He wagged his eyebrows at me. "Come lay down. You look pale."

"Hollis-"

"We can snuggle."

"You're sick."

He just wiggled his butt some more. "You did say I could sleep in your bed while you were gone."

"Alone. And definitely not naked!"

"Stop yelling already. You're pregnant. Chill out."

I stared hard at him. "Were you smoking in my apartment?"

He just rolled over onto his stomach. "I bought more food."

"Is that what I asked?"

"Grilled burgers yesterday. Delicious. I'm starting to get-"

"Auden, could you, like, leave? Please? So I can get dressed?"

I made a face at Maggie then. "Are you serious?"

"Please. You can get mad at me later. Just let me get dressed."

I sent her one last look before turning and leaving the room. Shutting the door firmly behind me, I immediately went into the bathroom, closing that door behind me as well. God, I hated them. Seriously.

The first person I called was Eli. I stayed in the bathroom, leaning back against eh door with the lights off. Just seeing Maggie and my brother together gave me a headache.

"What do you want?"

I frowned at the way my boyfriend answered the phone. "I don't care if I did unplug your damn game, I am your girlfriend and am carrying your son. Try again."

"…Hello?"

I rolled my eyes. "I just found Hollis in bed with Maggie when I got home."

Eli paused. "Doing?"

"What do you think?"

"Ew, really? Then again, she did sleep with Jake." Again, he paused. "Then again, so did you-"

"Shut up, Eli."

"Did they do it in your bed?"

"Yes."

"God. That's sick."

"I know."

"I don't get your brother and his effect on chicks. He always gets women. It's not-"

"That's not the point!"

There was suddenly a knock on the bathroom door and then Maggie calling out to me. "Auden, I'm going to go, alright? Look, I'm really sorry, but… Can we do this later?"

"That's fine," I called back to her through gritted teeth. "Just go."

"I really am sorry."

"I said it's fine. Go."

"Who's that?" Eli asked on the phone. "Your brother? I'll kick his ass for having sex in our bed if you want."

"Shut up, Eli."

"Are you okay?"

"I'm fine. Just…"

"Yeah, I know." He sighed slightly. "Why do you always end up being the one to walk in on shit? I mean, Jake, now Hollis. It's like you're seeking out these situations."

I shut my eyes as I heavily rolled them. "Goodbye, Eli."

"You-"

Hanging up as I heard my front door open and close, I left the bathroom and went back over to my bedroom door. Knocking lightly, I said, "Hollis, are you dressed yet?"

"No, and I don't plan to be."

"Hollis-"

"Toss me my boxers. They're by the door."

Making a face as I opened the door, I said, "You have no idea how much I hate you right now. I can't believe you had sex with my friend. My best friend, Hollis."

"I'm hurt. I thought that we were best friends." He caught his boxers when I tossed them to him, wiggling around then as he put them on under the covers. "Besides, what can't you believe about it?"

I just glared at him. "You're totally getting kicked out."

"I bought you more ice cream," he offered up. "Cookie dough, chocolate, birthday cake. Have you tried birthday cake? No? Yum-yum, Auden. Eat up."

I still just glared at him. "Were you even going to wash the fucking sheets?"

"Such a mouth."

"Were you?"

"…Now that you've mentioned it, definitely."

Groaning, I asked, "How did this even happen?"

He gave my stomach a pointed look. "I think you know."

"Hollis-"

"She came over to bring you something for the baby. And I was, you know, sleeping when she knocked on the door. Morning wood and all. I just-"

"You're sick."

He just stared. "Are you really going to kick me out?"

"Just…get out of my face, okay? And you are going to be the one to wash these sheets. You and you alone. Got it?"

"Sure. I'll get right on that."

"…So did you really buy me ice cream?"

"Mmmhmm. I'm serious about that birthday cake."

I started to leave, planning on going to get some, but stopped suddenly. "Hey, Hollis?"

"What?" He had settled back into the bed, apparently not planning on vacating any time soon.

"You're not, like, dealing or something, are you?"

"Hmmm?"

"To get all this money," I clarified. "You're not selling drugs or something, are you? Or, like, prostituting yourself?"

He grinned at me. "Is this your way of telling me you think I'm sexy?"

"Are you?"

"Don't worry about my life, Aud," he told me, sounding more serious than his face looked.

"You worry about mine."

"I've been worrying about yours so long now that I couldn't stop if I tried. Since they first brought you home to me."

I made a face. "You do not remember me coming home from the hospital."

"Do too. I remember Mom being pregnant too. I wanted a brother," he told me. "But then Mom found out she was having you and I decided I would hate you. I tried hard too, but I couldn't. Even when you cried or spit up or Mom paid way too much attention too you, I couldn't hate you. You were mine. They got you for me. You get that right, Auden? You're still mine. You're my baby sister. Forever."

"Then you basically had sex in my crib."

He just smiled. "Yeah, well, it's a comfortable crib."

"You're an ass."

"Love you too."

* * *

"Maggie bought me a baby carrier. So there's that."

"Still, Auden, you're going to need a crib, a changing table, clothes. Did you two keep any of stuff from the other baby?"

My mother was just on the phone so she wasn't able to see the expression I made a the suggestion.

"Eli finally sold it a few months ago, so no."

"Great."

"It was costing him money to keep it in storage. He didn't know that I would get pregnant again."

"Did the two of you never think to, you know, use protection? Honestly, honey, you're not some undereducated-"

"Mom, stop it."

She huffed over the phone. "And you still insist on having the child in Colby?"

"That's where my doctor is."

"It would be better, I think, to have the baby here in Lakeview. I-"

"Mom, I want to be with Eli and his family." I hated the way it sounded, but it was true. "You told me that you would come stay with us when the baby was born."

"I will."

"Then why does it matter?"

"It doesn't, sweetheart. Never mind."

I sighed, shifting on the couch. My mother and I talked about once every two weeks or so now. I think she was feeling slightly guilty about sticking me with her son. I know I would feel guilty, if my son was as horrible as Hollis.

Which he won't be. At all.

"I guess I can send you some more money," Mom went on. "For baby things."

"Mom, you don't-"

"You're finally paying your own rent, Auden. I have extra cash lying around. And the baby will need things."

"Eli doesn't like-"

"I let things go before, Auden, last time. This baby is going to be taken care of."

I sighed slightly. "Alright."

"Now, have you thought anymore about names?"

Rolling my eyes, I glanced back down at the textbook in my lap. "Eli likes the name Abraham, but I don't."

"Abraham?"

"His friend that died was named Abe."

"You're not naming him that, are you?"

"Of course not." I rolled my eyes. "I want a normal name."

"Normal."

"Yeah. Not like Thisbe or something. I want…David or Johnny or Kris or Jason. Something normal people would name their son."

"Auden," she said slowly. "You're not a normal person."

"Yeah, Mom, I am. And so is Eli. Our baby will be too." I shook my head slightly. "I'm not some renowned author. I'm not some brilliant student. I'm sorry."

That got her to be quiet, if only for a minute. And in that time, I could hear my father in the background.

"Is that still Auden?" I heard him ask. "Can I talk to her?"

"No, Robert, get out of my off-"

"I need to talk to her."

Mom let out a long groan before telling me, "Your father wants to speak with you."

"Alright."

I heard Mom say a few choice words to my father before handing over the phone.

"Auden?"

"Yes."

I hadn't spoken to my father since maybe February, if not before. He was always busy, my mother would tell me whenever we spoke, but he loved me. She always liked to tell me that, that my father loves me. I couldn't complain that he didn't call me though, mainly because I didn't call him. I never found a reason to. He was pretty horrible to my younger sister and I was rarely impressed with his actions. Eventually you grow up and realize how horrible your parents are. It's part of life.

"Great, I've been hoping to talk to you."

"You could have called."

He paused before sighing. "Auden, I don't have time for-"

"Dad, what did you want?"

"I need you to get a few…papers from Heidi's house."

"What? Dad-"

"They should be up in the attic," he went on. "You-"

"Why can't you get them?"

"I'm very busy here, Auden."

"And Heidi can't bring them to you because?"

His tone got darker. "If you can't do something for me, Auden, the one time I ask you to-"

"Don't yell at me, okay? I'm not in the mood. You're asking me to do something for you. Not the other way around."

"You better watch your tone, Auden. I am-"

"I'm hanging up. I really am. I-"

"Auden." Suddenly my mother had the phone again. "Ignore your father."

"Mom, I have to go. Really. I-"

"Honey, your father is just upset. He says that he had an old manuscript for an unpublished book up in the attic there. It would be really helpful if you brought it to us. That's all."

"Mom-"

"Not soon, sweetheart."

"Yes, soon," I heard my father tell her in the background.

"He's just…stuck currently on his book and needs it for a reference."

"I have work in the morning," I told her. "And the next day. Then class starts again on Monday-"

"Next weekend, can you?"

"I have work Friday, but-"

"Great. Saturday then?"

"Mom-"

"And you can bring your sister maybe," she went on. "And your brother. It'll be a nice little reunion of sorts."

"Mom, I-"

"Please, Auden? And I can give you the money then. Maybe you can stay the night?"

"Maybe," I said slowly, not forgetting the last sleepover I'd had there.

"And then we can talk some more, yes?" I could hear it in her voice, how much she wanted this to all work. I felt bad for her. I really did. I also knew that though she was remorseful for our broken relationship at the moment, if I went running back to her, she'd regain her strength once more. If she got her claws in me again, she wouldn't let go.

"We'll see, Mom," I said finally. "Alright?"

"Of course. Call me and let me know."

"I will."

"I love you, Auden," she told me then. "And I love this baby too. I want this all to work out. Both of us do, your father and I."

"I know."

"We love you and hope to see you next weekend."

"Goodbye."

"Goodbye."

After I hung up, I got up to get some ice cream. Because I freaking deserved it after that. I had been home for all of a day and a half and I'd already had to deal with my brother hooking up with Maggie and my father being a jerk. The stuff I had to deal with at home was almost a bad as what I had to deal with in Colby.

Almost.

After getting my bowl of ice cream, I went to take a seat on one of the stools that Eli had brought me when I first moved in before pulling out my cell phone. Figuring it was best to go ahead and run my weekend plans by him, I went ahead and called my boyfriend.

"'ello?"

"Mmmm, are you drunk?"

"…No?"

"Was that a question?"

"Aud, I'm kinda busy," he said then. "Was there something you needed?"

"Not really. I just wanted to tell you that I have plans next weekend."

"That's great."

"So do you, so don't get too happy."

"Last time you made us plans-"

"We're going to my parents house on-"

"No. Nope. Na-ah."

"-Saturday and taking my brother and sister."

"No."

"Eli-"

"I have work."

"Seriously?"

"…Yes?"

"Was that a question again?"

He let out a long sigh. "I don't want to go to your parents house again, Auden."

"And you think that I wanted to spend my spring break over at yours?"

"Whenever we go see your family, you end up really upset and crying and then I have to listen to you whine the whole way home about how horrible they are. I don't want to do that." I could almost see him shaking his head. "We don't need to be doing this right now. You're pregnant. You don't need to be stressed. Being around them is stressful."

"They're my parents, Eli."

"Then you go down there, Auden, with your goofy brother and have a horrible time. Call me when you get back home so I can go up to see you and listen to you cry for a day about how horrible your privileged life was because they never truly loved you as much as your brother and never appreciated you, never took you seriously. How much of an ass your father is and how your mother just wants to control you. Because I really want to hear that story again. I really, really-"

"Been holding that one in a long time?" I frowned down at my birthday cake ice cream. As much as I hated it, Hollis was right. This was crack to me now. "Do you know how much of your crap I have to listen to? Seriously, Eli, if you don't want to hear about my life, fine. I won't-"

"I've been drinking," he announced to me then, speaking louder than he had before.

"And?"

"I am not in the right state of mind to be having this tête-à-tête."

'…Word of the day?"

"Is it that obvious?"

I let out a long sigh. "Don't go with me to my parents then, Eli. That's fine. I'll go with my brother. And I will never talk about anything with you again. Is that what you want?"

"Mostly."

"Eli-"

"Aud, I just…"

I scooped up another bite of ice cream before speaking. "I do need you to get something for me though."

"What?"

"Dad left a manuscript in Heidi's attic."

"A mannequin?"

"A manuscript, Eli. It means-"

"I know what it means."

"Alright, well, he needs me to find it, but I don't want to go up to her attic. Can you do it for me? Please? And then you won't have to go on the trip with me?"

"Why can't he just come down here and get it?"

"I don't know, Eli. I could tell you about the fight we had, but that would just make you hate me, right? Because you hate hearing about my life and everything?"

"I didn't say-"

"You totally did. I could hear it in your voice, the way you were complaining about hearing me-"

"Hearing you complain? Yeah, Aud, it is annoying."

"Like I don't hear you complain all the time? I'm sorry that my problems in life are so little compared to yours. You know, since you lived such an disadvantaged life with both your kind, loving parents there every step of the way who were more than willing to help you pay for whatever college you wanted. Twice. That are well off enough that they don't even work anymore. You know that life where-"

"Alright, Auden, I get it. Knock it off."

"I'm making a point, Eli."

"It's a mood point."

"…A moot point?"

"That's what I said."

"Do you even know what a moot point is?"

"Don't question me, alright? I'm drunk and enraged. This tête-à-tête needs to come to an end."

I think that was my biggest eye roll of the week. I swear. "Fine. Just have that manuscript for me by next weekend."

"Whatever."

"Goodb-"

"Wait," he said suddenly.

"What?"

"…Are you going to tell me what a manuscript is now?"

With Eli as the father, there's few things my son could be other than normal.

* * *

**I don't know how many of you are actually fans of Dessen or just like Along for the Ride, but if you've read any of her other books, you've probably read Just Listen. Another author on this site, Leia 96, is trying to put together short film on the car wash scene from that book. They need some funding though and here' the link where you can donate if you want. indiegogo dot come projects/just-listen-a-short-film/x/1919571 (Just take out the spaces. Fanfics real weird about posting links flat out.)**


	8. Chapter 8

Fresh Start

Chapter 8

"Is this the exit?"

"You should know. You're the one that always drives."

Of course Eli ended up going with me. Of course he did. There's no way that I was going to let him stay home. No way. Not when I was having to go.

"You two argue too much," Hollis told me from the backseat where he was sitting in between Vinny and Thisbe. Before, the two kids had been sitting next to each other, but as always, that turned into an argument not even an hour into the drive.

"Well, I hope it's this exit," Eli said simply, ignoring my brother. He had been doing that since Hollis and I got into Colby. It had always been clear to me that the two of them weren't going to get along. I couldn't force them to after all. They didn't like each other. They were either going to have to learn or at least coexist for a while. Until Eli and I get out of Colby at least. Or Hollis takes off again. That seemed more and more likely every day.

"Are we there yet?" Vinny asked for the thousandth time. I hadn't originally wanted to take him along, but when he heard that Thisbe was going, he had to. And I caved, knowing that to him it wasn't fair that she got to go on a trip two weekends in a row. We would only be gone for a day and a half anyways. It wasn't that big of a deal. I was pretty sure he could behave that long. Pretty sure. And if not, well, Eli was always there to put him back in line…hopefully.

"No, Vinny," I said. "Stop asking. You'll know when we get there."

"Yeah, Vinny," Thisbe piped in, knowing that it would annoy her friend. He just stuck his tongue out at her, knowing that he had gotten reprimanded the last time he said something to her.

"Calm down you two," Hollis said, reaching over to pat Thisbe's head. "We'll be home soon."

Not soon enough. By the time we actually got to my parents' house, I was glad to be there for once. This was mainly due to the fact that I just didn't want to be in that car any longer. Eli and I going down by ourselves was one thing; taking my siblings and Vinny was a complete other. Especially all at the same time.

"Alright, guys," Eli said as he pulled up. "We're here."

The kids got out immediately, both rushing up to the door. Hollis right behind them. I think this was mainly due to him not having seen my mother in so long. Eli and I sat in the car for a moment though, one of his hand rested on my thigh.

"You sure that you want to stay the night?" he asked. "We can just drop this stuff off and head back if you want."

I made a face at him. "You just drove the whole day."

"And I can drive back again if you need me to. Or you could drive. Your brother. Whatever."

I shook my head at him. "Let's just make it through the night, okay? Go from there?"

Nodding, he leaned over to kiss my head before getting out of the car, making sure to grab the manuscript my father wanted off the center console. I headed out right behind him, not too thrilled about being there. Still, if it would get my mother off my back for a while, I didn't see the harm in it.

When we got through the door, my mother was waiting for me, her arms outstretched as she pulled me into a hug. Dad was nowhere to be seen, and Vinny and Thisbe had run off somewhere. Eli just headed over to the couch, sitting down on it as he set the manuscript on the table.

"Was the drive long?" Mom asked when she finally released me. I just shook my head at her, glancing over at my brother. He was staring at the new wine cabinet my mother had in the hall leading to the kitchen. I could see him through the doorway, inspecting it. She didn't seem too focused on him though, instead leaving an arm around my shoulders as we spoke. God, she was worse than Karen…

"Not really," I told her awkwardly, not really sure what kind of answer she was wanting. She just hugged me again for some reason, though she did let go quickly.

"Robert's in his office, Eli," she said then, nodding at the manuscript. "Surely you can run that in to him?"

The look on Eli's face at the suggestion pretty much summed up his answer. Sighing, I walked over to the coffee table and picked it up, calling over my shoulder to my mother that I would bring it to him. Did I really want to see my father? No, not in the slightest. However, I wanted him and my boyfriend fighting even less, so it was honestly an easy choice.

I knocked on his office door when I got to it before gently pushing open the door and stepping into the room. He wasn't even doing anything, just sitting in front of his laptop, staring at the screen. Still, he held up his hand as I approached, signaling for me to be quiet as he thought. Instead of doing that, I just dropped the heavy papers on his desk, causing it to jump slightly. That got his attention as his face turned up to look at me, a frown on it.

"Auden-"

"You wanted it. There it is."

Still he stared. Finally though he said, "I was going to let it go, you know, the way you acted over the phone last week. Chalk it up to pregnancy hormones or what have you. This though-"

I didn't want to fight with him. Instead I just headed out of the room, shutting the door behind me. I wasn't expecting him to follow me and he didn't. He never did, after all.

I found Eli in the living room just where I left him, lounging on the couch. My mother was gone as was my brother, but Eli didn't seem to mind. I knew coming to my parents was always a tedious trip for him, but it was one that he was going to have to get used to now that I was pregnant again.

"I hate my dad," I mumbled to him as I sat down on the couch next to him. Eli quickly sat up straight.

"Yeah. Me too."

Making a face at him, I said, "At least your parents got rid of Vinny for the weekend."

"Believe me, they're thanking you as we speak."

"And Heidi got the weekend to do whatever it is that she does."

"I think we all know exactly what she does, Auden."

Elbowing him, I looked around again, hoping to find someone else. The room was still empty though, my mother presumably going back to her study. I knew better than to ask Eli though, as he wouldn't have any idea. Sighing as I leaned against Eli, I said, "This is going to be a long day."

He just wrapped an arm around my shoulders before solemnly saying, "Aren't they all?"

* * *

"What's for dinner?"

"I'm hungry."

I made a face as Vinny and Thisbe came into the kitchen, sliding in their socks on the tile floor. Then they both had to have a giggle, finding that fun for some reason.

"Your father ordered takeout," my mother told Thisbe as she stood over by the counter, pouring herself another cup of wine.

"Ew."

"Yeah, ew."

"We like chicken nuggets," Vinny said as he pulled a chair out at the table for he and his friend. Climbing up into his, he said, "Auden, can you get us chicken nuggets?"

"No, I can't. You're going to eat what everyone else is eating."

"That's no fair."

"Nothing is," I told them both, which only got me dirty looks casted my way.

"Can we have ice cream after dinner?" Vinny asked then. "Please?"

"I don't think Mom and Dad have any." I looked to my mother even though I knew what I had told them was the truth. They hardly ever had real food at their house. Ever. Mom used to when she'd host those grad student parties, but since Dad's come back, those have stopped. It's not like he would have liked her having young guys gawking at her much.

"No, we don't," Mom told them as she came over to the table, the sweet smell of her drink making me nauseous. "I'm sorry."

"What are you drinking?" Thisbe asked her as she took the last seat at the table.

"Nothing good," my mother said as Vinny sat up tall in his chair, looking over at her. After taking an extended sip from her cup, my mother took a breath before saying, "Maybe after dinner though, Robert can go get you some ice cream."

"I dunno," Vinny said then, sitting back in his chair as he chewed on his thumbnail. "Hollib said to leave Mr. Robbie alone."

"Hollis, dear," Mom corrected him before taking another sip of her wine. "And Robert is working, that's all. As soon as he's done, he'll play with you."

Thisbe made a face. "Daddy works a lot."

"So does mine," Vinny told her as he banged a fist against the table. I wasn't sure why he did that other than it brought him some kind of entertainment, because he giggled after.

"Yeah, but you get to play with Mr. Joseph and Ms. Karen when your daddy's working."

Vinny shrugged. "They ain't so great."

"Yes."

"No."

"Don't you two start fighting again," I told them, giving them each a stern look. "I mean it."

Thisbe was the one that patted the table then, though it didn't make quite as big a bang as her counterpart. "I wanna color."

"Do you have any coloring books here?" I asked, glancing at my mother. She was focusing on her wine again though and didn't notice. "Or did you bring any with you?"

"No," she sighed, moving to rest her head on the table. "I'm bored."

That statement caused my mother to frown as she looked over at Thisbe. Then, after taking another gulp of her precious wine, she said, "Well, Thisbe, what would you like to do right now?"

"I wanted to color," she told her. "But I can't."

"I'm sure someone will go out and get you a coloring book," Mom reasoned. "Hollis! Can you-"

"Mom," I said, cutting her off. "They'll be here for, what? The rest of tonight and tomorrow morning? They don't need coloring books. they can play with the toys they brought."

I knew that it meant a lot to my mother for some reason, impressing my younger sister. That in itself was kind of bizarre, considering Dad left her and had a baby with another woman, which is where Thisbe comes into the picture. I knew in an ideal world, my mother should love my half-sister, especially considering that her and my father were now back together, but we don't live in an ideal world. Not even close. My mother should really want nothing to do with Thisbe. And for all intents and purposes, she doesn't really. Rather, she just wants to show Karen up, prove that she's the better parent or something. But that's a whole other story within itself.

Letting out a long huff, my mother stood. I thought it was to get more wine, as she was nearly empty, but instead she went over to the back door and opened it. My brother was out there, smoking while talking on his cell phone.

"Hollis," she said, not even waiting for him to finish. My mother knew that my brother would drop the world for her. She just usually didn't want him to. "Thisbe and her friend are bored and want to play."

I heard him say something muffled back to her before she closed the door and came back over to the table.

"Hollis says that he has something that you can do in a moment, alright?"

My mother sounded so nice then that both kids smiled at her. It just made me shiver though. Now that I was having my own child, I guess my mother would be that way every time I saw her, as she'd have to out grandparent Karen too. Part of me wanted to tell her right then, that the competition only existed in her own mind, that Karen didn't care anything about her; she didn't even know the competition existed. The only time Karen even brought up my mother was when she knew I wanted to talk about it, which was rare. Karen didn't need a competition, as she already knew who the better grandparent, parent, and all around human being was. They both did, really, as it was pretty dang obvious with my choice of who to stay closest too after having the baby. It was a no brainer, really.

As it turned out, Hollis' idea for what to do was pretty simple or so we all found out when we got outside.

"Those tires have got to be flat," I told my brother as we stood in front of the open garage door, staring in at Mom's car. In the way, way far corner though, was a bike.

"No way," my brother said, waltzing in there as Thisbe and Vinny chased one another in a circle in the driveway. "How could it be flat? I have touched it in years."

"That's why I assume it is, Hollis."

"Where would the air have gone, Auden? If I haven't touched it?"

Per usual, I was prove right when he drug the bike over and found that both tires were as I said, flat.

"Don't fret, kids," he told Thisbe and Vinny, though they weren't even looking at him, instead still playing tag or chase or whatever they were doing. "We have a bike pump."

"We do?"

"Yes, Auden," Hollis said, going back into the garage for a moment before returning with it. "See?"

"And you know how to use it?"

"Can't be that hard can it? You just, uh, you know, pump it."

I stared hard at him. "And you're sure you're not a male prostitute?"

Making a face at me, he went back over to the bike. "I just gotta find where you, you know, attach the, um, pump or what have you."

"Or what have you," I repeated dryly as I stared at him. "Why don't you just admit-"

"Here you guys are."

I turned my head at the sound of Eli's voice, finding him coming out of the house, a coke in his hands. When he was close enough, I took it from him and drank some before handing it back. He just made a face, but didn't say anything about it.

"What are you guys doing?"

Hollis frowned at him, no doubt not liking the fact that my boyfriend was around. The hatred was returned on all sides, that was for sure.

"The tire's flat," I told him before looking back at Thisbe and Vinny. They were still just chasing one another though. I figured it was best to keep an eye on them, as it was usually when they were happiest with one another that their play could be turned into a fight. "Hollis was about to, you know, put air in it or whatever."

"Oh." Eli slung an arm around my shoulders, clearly not too concerned with that. I'm sure to him, someone that works on bikes constantly, this was a baby job. "I called Steven."

"Why?"

"To tell him we're here," he said. "We do have his son, Auden."

I shrugged slightly, still watching my brother. It was obvious he had no idea what he was doing. Even I knew how to pump a tire, but he couldn't figure it out. It was when Eli turned and saw him down on his knees, staring intently at the tire, that he sighed.

"Move," Eli said, pushing him before getting down there to do it. "I mean, seriously?"

My brother was none too pleased with this, but did get up, moving to stand next to me. He mumbled something under his breath about what a dick I had for a boyfriend or something, but I just ignored him. I've found it best not to take sides these days.

Once both tires were finally filled up, Eli called the kids over to ride it.

"No," Vinny told us as he ran by, my sister hot on his tail. "We don't like bikes."

"You don't?" Eli smiled at them, not even angry that he had wasted his time. Honestly, I don't know what Hollis was expecting. They bike was too big for Vinny and Thisbe. They'd have needed a children's bike. "More for me then."

It was then that Hollis' look turned the darkest as my boyfriend got onto the bike. "I got it out for them."

"And they don't want it." Eli leaned against the handle bars, his eyes on me instead of my brother. "Ready to be impressed, babe?"

"Totally," I said, rolling my eyes slightly. That just made him smile before sitting up and pedaling away, out into the empty street.

"Eli's good at ridin' his bike," Thisbe told us as she came to a stop at our feet, both her and Vinny finally tired out.

"The best," Vinny agreed as he sat down on the driveway gravel, panting like a dog. "'cept for my daddy."

"Not 'cept for your daddy."

He frowned at Thisbe then. "Yeah, huh."

"Nu-uh."

"Yeah-"

"Knock it off." I was hardly looking at Eli now, as he popped wheelie right in front of the house.

"He's such a little showoff," Hollis grumbled. "Every twelve year old could do that."

"What else did you think he would do?" I asked, frowning at Hollis. "It's not like he has a ramp or something."

"You're always defending him."

Rolling my eyes, I looked down at the kids again. "You ready to go inside? Get some water?"

Thisbe nodded before taking off. "I'mma beat you, Vinny."

Scrambling to his feet after her, he yelled out, "Nu-uh."

"Yeah, huh."

Smiling, I turned to go inside with them, liking the idea of being with them rather than out there with the battling male egos. Yet another easy choice.

* * *

"Mmmm, next time we come, can we have chicken nuggets?"

"And ice cream?"

My mother smiled across the dining room table at Vinny and Thisbe. "Of course. And school's so close to letting out, that I'm sure you'll spend a lot of time here."

That got my father's head to shoot up. Dabbing at his mouth with a napkin, he took a sip of water before speaking.

"Victoria, you know as well as I do that Thisbe doesn't want to spend that much time here."

"Of course she does," my mother reasoned. "And with Auden down here, it'll make sense for her to visit her older sister. Not to mention when Hollis moves back in."

It was finally time to eat and, after setting the dining room table, we all sat down to a meal of takeout. My mother seemed to be the only one even interested with making conversation except for Thisbe and Vinny, who had spent most of dinner weighing the pros and cons skinning your knee. Yes, you get a hug from Karen and any Band-Aid you want, but was it really worth all that pain?

"Mom," I began, Dad too stricken at the thought of all his children living with him to even speak. "I told you that I was staying in Colby when I had the baby."

"You say that, Auden," Mom said, "but you should always keep your options open."

"I don't need to keep my options open."

She just stared at me for a moment before reaching out to grab her glass of wine. "Eli would be welcome too, Auden."

My boyfriend just continued to stare down at his plate, knowing better than to get involved. He doesn't know a lot of things, Eli, but what he does know he knows well.

"That's not the issue, Mom," I went on. "I just would rather stay in Colby. And besides, I'm sure Dad doesn't want us here."

"He does too."

Even though he didn't speak, his silence said it all. And I mean, I didn't expect him to take me and my son in anyways. Not to mention I didn't need taking in. I had a place to stay.

"It'll just be easier," I told her. "Eli already has an apartment and a job in Colby. Two jobs actually."

"I'm sure he could find work here," my mother insisted. "And if not, then I could find him work."

Eli pushed my foot under the table, no doubt trying to communicate to me that that was not a acceptable solution to things. And, as I keep saying, we don't need a solution. Everything's already been decided.

"Mom, I don't know why you're fighting this," I said, shaking my head. "I'm not staying across the country. You can come stay with us any time you wanted."

That got my foot harder push.

"Or, well, stay in town," I corrected. "And Heidi and Karen are there for-"

"Heidi and Karen," Mom said dryly before taking another sip of wine. "Mmmm."

"You know it's not like that."

Dad cleared his throat then before asking, "You said something about Hollis moving in, Victoria?"

"Well, of course," she said, nodding her head, though some of her fight was gone. "Where else would he stay?"

"Auden's moving out," Hollis told him. "No matter where she goes, she's not staying there with the baby. So I have nowhere else to go. Mom said-"

"Victoria, I thought we agreed that we both liked the…tranquility that the house has currently?"

Mom made a face at him. "We would still have tranquility, Robert."

"Not if you bring a newborn baby into this house." Dad glanced at me. "If Auden and the…baby lived here, it would keep us up all night."

"Which would be the reason we're there, Robert," Mom told him. "To help her out. Would you rather Auden do it all alone?"

"Eli-" I tried, but it was useless. My parents were arguing; I no longer mattered.

"She's the one that's having the child, Victoria, not you," Dad told her, shaking his head. "Not to mention, I'm in the middle of a writing session currently."

"Oh, when aren't you in the middle of a writing session?"

His glare intensified. "The kids are not all going to be staying with us, Victoria. End of discussion."

"I'm sorry, I believe I heard you wrong. Or you misspoke." She smiled at him, her sinister winning one. Reaching out to grab her wine glass again, she said, "Last time I checked, Robert, this was _my _house."

He just stared at her for a moment before tossing his napkin into his plate and walking off. Eli was still staring down at his plate and Hollis was focused on taking an extended sip of coke. The kids seemed to be the only ones that didn't understand what was going on.

"Your daddy didn't eat his vegetables," Vinny told Thisbe, nodding at the beef and broccoli on my father's plate.

"Then neither do we," Thisbe said, pushing her plate away. Giggling, Vinny did the same.

"Yes, you do," I told them. "If you don't, you're going straight to bed."

They each glared at me as they moved to start eating again. I just stared at my mother though, who was staring absently down at her food. She had won, of course she had won. But everyone knows, winning isn't everything.

* * *

"Man, empty nest syndrome is hitting your mother hard."

I made a face at my boyfriend as we settled into Hollis' bed. Mom had made him give it to me, claiming that I shouldn't have to sleep on the couch. He did. Which was fine with me. Completely.

"She's just lonely, I'm sure," I told him, snuggling against his side. "Or something."

"Your father doesn't seem like much of the companion," Eli agreed.

"Oh? Is that what you are to me then? A companion?"

"No," he said, shaking his head.

"Then what makes them…companions?"

"They're not married and don't plan to be, so they're not husband and wife. They're not 'dating' or engaged. What else would they be?" He shifted on the bed, pressing a hand gently against my stomach. "Not to mention, they live in this big house, all alone. If he's really like you say he is, he's not much for just hanging out the way we do. She has to bored. Most people hate work and love home. It's opposite for her. With you guys here, at least she'd have something to look forward to."

"Then you want me to have the baby here?"

"God, no." He kissed my cheek. "Buy her a dog or a cat or something. A bird. One of those talking ones."

I sighed, staring at him in the darkness. "Your dad bought your mom a cat. She seems to like it. Maybe I'll get my mom a cat."

He just stared for a moment. "My mother likes pets. She always has. Does yours?"

"We never had any, no."

"There's a first time for everything, I suppose." He grinned in the darkness. "They've never had a grandkid before either and your mom sure wants you and him to live with her."

"I know." I sighed slightly. "I hardly even want my kid hanging around here that much."

"Me neither. Your parents are crazy."

"Eli."

He just kissed my lips. "Let's try to sleep some, huh? Sooner we get up in the morning, sooner I can go home."

"Yeah and the sooner I can drive all the way back to my apartment alone."

"With Hollis."

"Yeah, like that's so much better."

"Still can't believe he screwed Maggie."

"I couldn't either, but then the more I thought about it, the more sense it made."

"What do you mean?"

"Maggie's single, or so she likes to tell me constantly. She sleeps around enough." I shrugged slightly. "I still can't get over them having sex in my bed though."

"Yeah, I know."

I paused. "You think Jake's ever-"

"Don't say it."

"Well-"

"Don't. Really, don't."

We fell asleep some time after that. And stayed that way for awhile too. It was only about eleven when we went to bed and we didn't get up until nine the next morning. Well, I got up at nine. Eli just grunted when I tried to wake him up, not moving in the slightest. I left him behind as I got out of bed to go take a shower, rolling my eyes as I went.

My mother was up when I got out of the shower, in the kitchen with my sister and her friend, making breakfast. When I came into the room, she was listening to them happily explain to her Vinny's job.

"He's really good at it," Thisbe assured her.

"Best taco ever," he said, nodding. "I like tacos."

"Me too," Thisbe said, smiling at my mother. "Do you like tacos?"

"They're alright," she said, still looking at the eggs she was scrambling in the pan. I could count the times my mother made me breakfast on one hand. Seriously.

"We like chicken nuggets," Vinny said then.

"Yeah."

"I know. You told me yesterday."

"Do you like 'em?"

"I can't recall ever having them, honestly," she told the kids who just stared up at her in shock.

"Never ever?"

"No."

"Wow. You ain't got a good mommy and daddy," Vinny told her. "Or a good granny and grandpa."

She just smiled down at him. "I don't?"

"Nope," he said, shaking his head. "Not at all."

Mom laughed slightly at that before looking back down at the pan. "And you do I would suppose?"

"Course," he said, nodding his head. "I gotta mommy that loves me, I gotta daddy that's real fun. Huh, Thisbe?"

"Your daddy's fun," she agreed. "And your mommy's nice."

"And then I got Grandpa!" Vinny had almost growled the man's name, though it was more from his excitement than anything else. If there was anyone Vinny idolized, it was his grandfather. "He's great!"

"Mr. Joseph's nice," Thisbe told my mother. "We love 'im."

"Yep!" Vinny nodded his head before shaking it. "Then there's Granny."

"Oh?" Mom tried hard to hide her interest, but she couldn't. "Karen, you mean?"

"I like Ms. Karen," Thisbe told her. "I love her."

"She's okay," Vinny mumbled. "She's real mean."

"Is she?"

"Mmmhmm."

"No," Thisbe said then, frowning at her friend. "Vinny's just bad."

"Am not! I'm good." Vinny looked over at the doorway then. "Huh, Auden?"

My mother glanced over sher shoulder, shocked to find me there. "Oh, sweetheart. I didn't know you were up. Was that you in the shower?"

"It was," I said, going over to them now. "We have to get out of here soon."

"Not too soon."

"I have to take them back to Colby and then get back home myself. Yes, soon."

Vinny yawned then, rubbing at his eyes. "I don't want to get home. Then I gotta go to school tomorrow."

"You don't like school?" Mom asked him as he moved to wrap his arms around me.

"No," he said, rubbing his face against me. "I hate it."

"What about you then, Thisbe? Do you hate it?"

We all looked up as my father came into the kitchen, all dressed for the day and looking much happier than he had the night before.

"Daddy!" She ran to hug him while Vinny just held tighter to me.

"Do you?" he asked, hardly patting her on the head.

"No," she said, shaking her head when she released him. "I don't care if I gotta go tomorrow. I'm just glad I didn't have to go home last night."

"Why?" Mom asked, glancing over at her.

"'cause now we don't gotta go to church," she said.

"Who goes to church?" Dad asked, frowning. "I know your mother's not."

"No," Thisbe said, shaking her head. "I go with Vinny and Ms. Karen and Mr. Joseph and Jake."

"Church is long," Vinny said as he finally freed me. "And we gotta be quiet."

"We don't like being quiet," Thisbe agreed.

"Well, that's silly," Mom said then. "Them forcing you to go to-"

"Mom, don't start," I begged. "Please."

"Thisbe's my daughter," Dad told me. "If I don't want her going to-"

"She's your daughter today," I corrected. "And when she's back in Colby, you won't care anything about what she does. So don't stir a pot that you're not ready to deal with when it overflows."

Mom raised her eyebrows at me, but I wouldn't look at her. Heidi was lucky if she got child support out of my father every three months. I'm no supporter of religion or something, but he had no business involving himself with anything my sister had going on. At all.

"I don't know what your problem has been with me recently, Auden, but you had better settle it," my father told me stiffly. "I don't care if you're pregnant, dying, or in immense pain. You're not going to disrespect me in my own home."

I rolled my eyes at this while my father just turned and walked away, calling over his shoulder to my mother that he was going out. Not soon after the front door open and shut loudly. Mom let out a long breath before looking at me again.

"Go wake up your brother and boyfriend, Auden," she said as she took the eggs off the stove. "Breakfast is ready."

"Mom-"

"Go," she repeated. "Kids, can you go put the plates on the dining table? And the forks, please."

"Okay," Thisbe said, uneasy after seeing our father and I argue. Vinny ran off to do as suggested though, not phased in the slightest. Yelling scared him; arguing was part of life.

I just headed off to wake up Eli, not really shocked by my father and I not getting along. I couldn't come home without fighting with one of my parents. That was just a given.

* * *

"So what's up with you and Dad?"

I rolled my eyes at Hollis as we drove down the road. It was finally just the two of us, a whole three hundred extra dollars traveling with us, my mother telling me to spend it on the baby. After dropping Eli and the kids in Colby, Hollis and I ended the trek the same way we started it. Brother and sister, ending their trip alone together. Hoorah.

"Nothing's up with me and Dad."

"It's like you either hate Mom or you hate Dad. You can never just get along with both of them at once."

"He's the one that's had a problem with me. He doesn't like to talk to me, ever."

"Because when he does talk to you, you're very rude."

"Oh, what do you know?"

"A lot." He reached forward to play with the air conditioner. I let it go, as he had when I chose to be the one to drive.

"He doesn't do crap for Thisbe, Hollis."

"That shouldn't be your-"

"I'm not a kid. And neither are you. The way he treats her should bother you."

"He loves her."

"He loves you," I corrected. "And he thinks that I'm witty. He doesn't care about Thisbe. At all."

That got Hollis to grin at me. "You're witty?"

"Hollis-"

"Since when are you witty?"

"You're missing the point."

"I've known you your whole life and I have never thought, damn, Auden's witty."

"You just don't get me."

"And Dad does?"

"You're ignoring the other part of what I said."

"Dad does not ignore Thisbe," Hollis said, playing with the radio then.

"He never goes to see her, he never pays his child support, when he does see her he hardly spends any time with her-"

"It's difficult."

"What's so difficult about it?" I asked. "He lives a few towns away. He should at least see her a few times a month, if not more."

"Dad's an author, Auden."

"And? You act like he's a rock star that's on tour. He's an overrated writer than sits on his ass all day, staring at his computer, pretending like he's in deep thought." I rolled my eyes. "If he didn't want another child, he very well-"

"I'd look down at your stomach if I were you, Auden."

I gave him a look. "I'm going to take care of my son is the difference."

"With money from Mommy?"

"Shut up."

"No, you," he said, frowning then. "Dad's doing the best he can."

"You always defend him. You treat him like a god. Guess what, Hollis? He's not."

"I do not treat him like a god."

"You do too."

"Do not."

"You totally do. You treat both Mom and Dad like they invented the whole world."

"And you treat them like they haven't made you what you are."

"Nobody makes you what you are except you. And Dad's made himself out to be a dick."

"Auden-"

"He clearly doesn't care about Thisbe. At all."

"You don't know that. You just know what you see."

"What I see is him doing nothing for her ever. What do you see, Hollis? The rare times you're around?"

"You sure are annoying now that you're pregnant." He finally settled on a station, letting out a long yawn. "Little sister."

"Shut up."

"My baby sister's having a baby." He laughed then. "A son! I'll be an uncle. Uncle Hollis. I'll be the best fucking uncle ever."

"You do realize that Eli has brothers, right? Brothers that the baby will be around a lot?"

"And? I'll be better than both of them. I'll be better than Eli too."

"You'll be better than the baby's father?"

"Most definitely. It will love me. I'll be the fun uncle."

"The drunk, absentee uncle."

"That too."

Shaking my head, I said, "When we both move out of this apartment, you'll probably hang around Mom's place for awhile before taking off again."

"No way, Aud," he said, shaking his head. "I'm sticking around to wait for you to give birth. Be there for you and shit. Help out."

"You," I said slowly. "You're going to help me take care of a baby."

"Heck, yeah."

"Oh, whatever."

"I am," he told me. "My first nephew. Why wouldn't I help out?"

"How are you going to help out? You don't even know how to change a diaper."

"And I never plan to learn," he agreed. "However, I am very good at entertaining children."

"The baby won't need to be entertained when he's first born, genius."

"Babies always need to be entertained. I'm thinking of, you know, taking up the harp."

"What?"

My brother nodded. "So I can play him soothing music at bedtime. Either that or the violin."

"You're so stupid."

"You're just mad because you didn't think of it first."

"You're going to learn the play the violin, Hollis? An instrument that takes years to master?"

"Yes." He nodded. "I don't know if you know this or not, Auden, but I'm horribly intelligent."

"You're one of those words," I assured him with a shake of my head. "Just not the one you want to be."

"No one wants to be intelligent, Auden," he told me. "It's a curse really."

"Yeah, sure, that's what I meant."

"I know it is. Because you're far to smart to say that I'm not horrible, but horribly, which would make no sense whatsoever."

Glancing at him, I found a smug smirk on his face.

"You know I hate you, right?" I asked then which only caused the smirk to turn into a full blown grin.

"I love you too, Auden. So much."

* * *

"I'm so glad you decided to meet with me today, Auden."

I just stared at Maggie before down at the menu in front of me. "You offered to buy me breakfast. Who would turn that down?"

"Auden-"

"You slept with my older brother, Maggie. Which wouldn't have been so bad, had it not been in my bed. You do get that, right? My bed."

She just stared into my eyes. "You and Eli can sleep in my bed if you think that will help things."

"You're an idiot."

Sighing, she went back to her own menu. "Well, I'm just trying to clear the air, okay? You haven't spoken to me in a week. I think I deserve to be a little upset about that."

"You deserve to be a little upset?"

"Yes."

"You can't be serious."

"I'll buy you new sheets, okay?" She glanced back up at me. "Is that what you're holding out for? Or was the baby carrier not a good one? Because-"

"The baby carrier's not the problem."

"Oh, good. I blew, like, half a pay check on that."

I frowned. "Seriously?"

"Yes."

"No, seriously?"

Again, she stared. "Well, I would have, had I bought it new is what I meant. I got it at a garage sale."

Rolling my eyes then, I said, "And you planned on telling me that when?"

"When the baby got fleas. I mean, you know, if I couldn't convince you that the dog gave them to him."

It was her turn to get a stare. Then, slowly, I moved to take a sip of my water.

"So when are you going to forgive me?" she went on.

"About the fleas thing or the brother thing?"

"Both."

"Mmmm…never."

"Auden," she complained.

"What?"

"…What if I told you that if you didn't forgive me, I wouldn't pay for your food?"

That got my attention. "Then I'd forgive you right now."

"Okay then."

"Until, you know, the food was paid for and everything."

"Auden, this isn't fair. Hollis seduced me."

I raised an eyebrow. "Seriously?"

She nodded. "He's very alluring when he wants to be. You just don't get it, you know, since you're his sister and everything."

"Right."

"It's true," she said. "You just don't notice since, you know, he's your brother or whatever."

"I think I would know."

"No. It's just like how you don't find him sexy or whatever."

"I agree with you on the point that I don't find him sexy, but I disagree with you on the other part. He's not sexy to anyone."

"He can be."

"He cannot."

"Is Eli sexy?"

I snorted. "Hardly."

"Then see? You don't even know what you've got is good."

That got another eyebrow raise. "You find Eli sexy?"

"Not in so many words."

"Sexy is one word."

"He's attractive," she said slowly.

"I don't disagree with that," I told her. "But attractive isn't sexy."

"You don't think anything's sexy."

"I do too."

"Name one thing."

"I don't…Maggie…"

"Then see? Hollis is sexy."

"Sexy isn't something you can describe," I told her. "It's something you know when you see it."

"Then when's the last time you've seen it?"

"I don't know, Maggie. God, can we talk about something else?"

"Why does talking about Eli embarrass you?"

"We weren't talking about Eli. We were talking about what's sexy and what's not."

She grinned at me then. "I'm going to tell him you said that. Tell him you said that he's not sexy."

"Tell him," I challenged. "What do I care? If he's not something, he's just not."

"I doubt he thinks you're all that sexy either."

"I'm not," I told her. "Just like my brother's not."

"When he's trying-"

"No, not when he's trying."

"Have you seen him try?"

"Maggie-"

"You just can't face the truth, Auden. Your brother's hot."

"Hot, sexy, and attractive are all different things. You can be sexy without being hot."

"Are you saying he's hot?"

"Not even close."

"You have to at least admit that, if you weren't related, you'd-"

"Hollis is not as hot as you make him out to be."

"You're crazy."

"Oh, I'm crazy. Right."

"You are."

"And you think that Hollis would say I'm hot?"

"Do you think you're hot?"

I made a face at her. "Are you saying I'm not?"

"I'm just asking you what you think of yourself."

"When I'm not pregnant, I think I'm pretty average."

She gave me a look. "You're average?"

"Yes."

"You're so full of it."

"So you do think I'm hot."

"I think you're hot," Maggie told me. "Of course I do."

"I'm flattered."

She shook her head, smiling then. "I bet Hollis would tell you that you were hot."

"He would not. That'd be, like, incest."

"Sleeping with you would be incest," she told me. "Saying he wanted to would be incest. Thinking about it would be incest. Admitting that his baby sister is a looker isn't incest. It's reality."

"If you're baby brother grows up to be hot, would you tell him?" I questioned then.

"If he asked me, I'd be honest. "

"You would not."

"When you were a little kid, per say, and dressed up for Halloween, as a lion or pumpkin or whatever, you're telling me that he never said you looked super cute?"

"I didn't dress up as a kid for Halloween."

She groaned. "Work with me! My point was, if he called you cute, would it be wrong?"

"No."

"Then why is hot?"

"Cute isn't sexual. Hot is. Sexy is."

"What if he called you beautiful?"

"Beautiful isn't sexual."

She snorted. "Then Eli is not treating you right."

Sighing, I said, "How did we even get on this topic?"

"Because we're best friends, Auden," she told me as our waitress showed up. "You can't stay long at me for long."

* * *

"How's your stomach tonight?"

I just stared in the mirror as I continued to brush my teeth. That's what I get for leaving the bathroom door open…

After spitting in the sink, I glanced over at the doorway to look at my brother. "Fine. He was kicking earlier, but not now."

"That's so cool, you know," he said before grinning at me. "I bought you some of that butter stuff."

"What stuff?" I asked, part of me hoping it was more ice cream. I love ice cream. Butter ice cream. Not sure about it, but definitely willing to try.

"That stuff that you rub on a pregnant woman's belly."

I made a face. "You rub stuff on your stomach?"

"They do on, like, TV and stuff."

"What show do they-"

"I bought it is the point," Hollis cut me off. "So if you want me to rub your stomach or whatever-"

"I think I'm capable of rubbing my own stomach."

"Whatever, Auden," he said, turning and walking away then. "I just-"

"Hey, Hollis?"

"What?"

"…Am I sexy?" Blushing then, I said, "Or hot or whatever?"

That got him to turn around, a bemused look on his face. "Aud, I'm flattered, but brother and sister is as far as I want to take our relationship. I mean, I love you very much, but-"

"No, stupid." I made a face at him. "I don't want you to, like, have sex with me."

"Oh, good. I mean, I'm open for almost anything, but I draw the line there, baby sister."

I still just stared at him. "Objectively though…am I?"

Laughing then, he moved forwards to cup my face in his hands. I just looked up at him, frowning when he moved to kiss my head.

"You'll always be my baby sister, Auden. That's all. I hate even having to look at your stomach and acknowledge that fact that you…have sex. You don't do that to me. I'm sure that you and Eli have a very…nice relationship. And I'm sure you'd make a lot of guys very happy." He hugged me then, rather tightly. "Just not me. Ever. So…don't' ever ask me that again, huh?"

"'kay," I mumbled against his chest.

"Are you going to bed?" he asked when he let me go.

"Yeah."

"Goodnight then. I think I'm heading out. I probably won't be home tomorrow."

"I work anyways."

Nodding, he took a step back before smiling at me again. "Do you need anything? Like at the store or whatever while I'm gone?"

"No."

"And you'll eat? If I'm not around to order you to?"

"I'm not a child."

"And that's the problem. A child you can threaten, force to do something. You? You're your own person. I can't make you do shit." He shook his head. "I never could."

I finally smiled at him. "I love you, Hollis."

Reaching forward one more time, he brought me in for a quick hug. "Sleep well, little one."


	9. Chapter 9

Fresh Start

Chapter 9

"This actually works out quite nicely," Karen went on as I stared down at the name book she had set in my lap. Yes, we are resorting to this. So?

"What does?" I asked, not looking up.

"Well," she began as she walked around the living room, picking up Vinny and Thisbe's toys as she went. "Linda's due in the middle of May. So I can go down there, see her and the baby, and still be back here for your graduation."

I made a face as I finally did lift my head. "You really don't need to go to that."

"Of course I do, Auden."

Sighing, I said, "How long are you going to be with Linda?"

"I don't know," Karen told me honestly. "Not too long, or else Joseph would have to go. You know how much he hates for me to go somewhere without him."

"Yeah," I said, thinking back to that trip she had taken to see her family, leaving him behind at the house. "He hates that."

She smiled at me then before leaving the room for a moment to put Vinny and Thisbe's toys away. It was Friday night and, though I didn't plan to, I was once again stuck with the Stocks. Or, well, Karen. This was mainly due the fact that after school, Joseph had taken Vinny and Thisbe to the beach, Eli and Jake tagging along. As there was no part of me that wanted anything to do what that, I opted to stay home. Though my plan was to be at Eli's apartment, Karen quickly roped me into spending some well-deserved time with her. I mean, I did spend last weekend with my parts, the first in a long time. It was only natural that I spend even more time with the Stocks, to counterbalance. Right?

"The kids should be home soon," Karen told me as she came back into the living room, though she quickly headed into the kitchen. "I'm just making hotdogs for dinner. That's what Vinny asked for. Hotdogs and fries."

"He really likes chicken nuggets," I told her, the memory of the thousands of times he acted for them on our weekend away not leaving my mind for a second.

"Yes," she called from the kitchen. "But I don't. So he can't have any."

Smiling, I looked back down at the book before setting it to the side, deciding that I really d didn't want to think any more about names for the day. I figured that one would come to me eventually. And if worse comes to worse, we'll just name the baby something and then call him by a nickname. That's what people do anyways, right?

I had just turned on the television when the front door opened and Thisbe and Vinny burst in. Karen stuck her head out of the kitchen, quickly directing them both to the bathroom to get out of their wet clothes. Not soon after them came Jake and his father.

"Where's Eli?" I asked as Joseph headed into the kitchen, either in search of his wife or food. I wasn't quite sure. "Jake?"

"The bike shop," he told me. "Clyde needed him for something. I don't know. I didn't ask."

Making a face, I said, "Then I guess I better head home."

"Why?" Joseph came from the kitchen with an apple in his hands. "You aren't staying for dinner?"

"N-"

"Yes, Auden, you are."

I rolled my eyes as Karen came out of the back hallway, a clean Thisbe with her. "Really, I-"

"What's over there for you to eat at that apartment?"

"Hotdogs. Same thing as here."

"We're having hotdogs?" Jake made a face at his mother before saying, "Come on, Mom. You were home all day. Isn't that kind of a give up?"

His father hit him in the back of the head as he passed.

"Joseph!" Karen frowned, but her husband just continued out of the room. Rubbing the back of his head, Jake followed, though I'm sure he was headed to his own bedroom to lick his wounds.

"Honestly," Karen complained, though I wasn't sure who it was to as I and my sister were the only ones in the room. Thisbe smiled at me then, letting go of Karen's hand to come sit on the couch with me.

"Hi, Auden," she said, reaching over to pat my stomach, her and Vinny's typical greeting. "Eli went to work."

"I heard," I told her. "Are you going to go home with me, Thisbe? Or spend the night with Vinny?"

"Vinny's stupid."

"Thisbe."

She sat back then, looking to Karen. "Can I spend the night?"

"Of course, sweetheart," she said, distracted as her husband came back into the room, an apple core in his hands. As he passed by her, he pressed a kiss to her cheek before continuing on into the kitchen. "Joseph, did you guys not want hotdogs?"

"Jake was being foolish, dear," he told her as she followed him in there.

"There's still time for me to make something else if-"

"We want hotdogs," Vinny announced as he came into the room, already dressed his pajamas. "'cause I said so."

"Well, if the boy says so," I heard Joseph say from the other room.

With that complete, Vinny rushed over to the couch to sit on my other side, giving my stomach his customary pat before snuggling into my side. Frowning down at him, I scooted slightly away.

"What's wrong with you?" I asked him.

"I'm cold," he told me as he continued to lean against me. "IT's cold. You ain't cold?"

"No," I told him, though I gave in and let him lean against me. "Not really."

"Oh." He yawned then before glancing over at the kitchen. "We're eating hotdogs."

"Yeah, Vinny, I know."

Thisbe giggled then. "Auden?"

"What?"

"Can we watch cartoons?"

Rolling my eyes, I changed the channel from the news to something they would enjoy more. It worked in my favor as not soon after I did this, Vinny sat up to look at the television better, leaving me and my side alone.

"Daddy," Vinny squealed when the door opened some time later, his father coming through the door dressed in his work attire. "You're home."

"I am," Steven said, hardly glancing at me as Vinny ran over to him to give him a hug. "Hey, buddy."

"We went to the beach," Vinny told him. "And Thisbe's going to spend the night and Auden's here and Eli's not and-"

"Okay, okay, calm down." Steven gave him a pat on the head before heading into the kitchen. Vinny frowned before running off after him, which turned out to be good timing as not soon after, Karen called out that it was time to eat.

"Is anyone going to get Jake?" Karen asked not soon after I got into the kitchen. "Steven?"

He frowned as he grabbed some hotdog buns and one each on two plates, no doubt for Thisbe and his son. "Vinny, go get your uncle."

Growling, his son stomped off, no doubt ready for his dinner than then bed. It was getting rather late.

"Thank you," Thisbe said after Steven got her a hotdog and some French fries. He just grinned at her, like he always did. For all the hate he had for me, Steven seemed to like my sister well enough. Then again, she was his son's only friend. He couldn't exactly be mean to her. And besides, Thisbe's a little doll. No one could hate her. Ever.

"Are we all eating in the living room then, Joseph?" Karen asked as her husband took his plate and headed in there. "And if so, why?"

"It's baseball season," he told her simply. "I took the kids to the beach, you get to feed them and put them to bed."

"Is that how this works?"

"It's how it works today. And you're rather nosy today, dear."

She hummed slightly as she took a seat at the kitchen table, Thisbe quickly following her lead and going over there as well. I went ahead and got her some juice before getting my own dinner and taking my seat.

"Where's my food?" Vinny complained as he came back into the kitchen. Steven was just finishing his own plate and frowned over at him.

"Lose the attitude, bud," he said then, shaking his head. "It's on the table."

"I wanna eat with the men."

"And you can, when you are one. Now go sit next to Granny and behave."

Vinny waited until his father had turned his back to stick his tongue out at him, though he quickly did as he was told, climbing into the chair between Thisbe and Karen.

"I'm tired," Vinny announced before whining. "Granny."

"What?"

"I need ketchup."

Letting out a soft sigh, she stood to get him some while Steven just headed out of the room. As she made it back to the table, Jake came into the room, a pouty look on his face.

"What's wrong, sweetheart?" Karen asked, glancing at him.

"I don't get any respect around here," he told her then.

"What's wrong?"

Jake huffed slightly, shaking his head. I just rolled my eyes before going back to my dinner. Jake had a flare for the dramatic.

"Dad's been really mean to me recently and then he hit me today. Hit me!"

"I saw," Karen said slowly.

"And then he sent me to my room. Like I'm a kid. Do I look like a kid?"

"No, but-"

"He doesn't respect me, Mom, and I-"

"Do you pay for anything in this house?"

We all frowned as Joseph spoke up form the living room.

"No," he answered for his youngest son, his voice coming out forceful and definite. "And you're gladly allowed to walk out at any time."

"Joseph." Karen didn't have to see her husband to get her point across. "Knock it off. Now. And Jake, not now, alright, honey? Just eat dinner."

"I don't want hotdogs."

"Then what do you-"

"You are not making that boy dinner, Karen," Joseph spoke up again. "He can have what you've already made or-"

"You wanted to watch baseball, Joseph," his wife reminded him. "So watch it."

"I want a cheeseburger," Jake said then, softer than before no doubt to keep his father from overhearing. "But I'm all out of money."

Karen rolled her eyes. "My purse is in my bedroom, Jake. And I do know for certain how much is in there, so you had better not take more than a ten."

"Okay." He smiled then, real big. "I love you, Mom."

"Mmmm."

Not soon after he was gone, Vinny spoke up again.

"How come Grandpa don't want Jake to get food?" he asked. "I got my hotdogs. How come Jake can't get his hamburger?"

"Because Jake's not a little boy," I told him. Vinny just glared at me from across the table.

"I ain't one neither, Auden," he said then, shaking his head. "I'mma man."

Karen just sighed before taking a bite of her hotdog, ignoring him otherwise. She didn't speak again until she got up to put her plate in the sink. That just so happened to be about the same time her husband came into the kitchen, his destination the same.

"I told you not to make him food, Karen," was the first thing he said. Though Jake had left about ten minutes ago, it clearly was still bothering her husband. Karen just rolled her eyes.

"I didn't."

"You didn't," he agreed. "Instead, you gave him money to go get something else when there was more than enough food for him here to eat."

"It's my money."

"Oh, don't play that game, Karen."

"It is. It's my-"

"Then I want my loan back, Karen. Interest included."

"What are you-"

"Who helped pay for your college, Karen?" Her husband rinsed off his plate before looking at her. "I'm calling it in."

"You-"

"We've shared a bank account since we were twenty years old, Karen, if not younger." Joseph sighed before turning to walk away. "You baby him."

"What do you want me to do, Joseph?"

"I don't want you to do anything. I want him to move out."

"He can't afford to, Joseph."

"No one can. No one in this house can afford to live on there own. Jake can't afford to live alone, Steven can't afford to live with his children, Eli can't afford dinner or rent or even pay for the next damn kid he's having. I don't see how-"

"You stop it, Joseph. What is wrong with you?"

He just headed back into the living room, not saying anything more.

"Your grandpa is grumpy," Thisbe told Vinny as she dunked a fry in some of his ketchup. Vinny nodded.

"He missed naptime, probably," he said. "Then we went to the beach. Bet he's sleepy."

"Mmmhmm," Thisbe agreed. "Mr. Joey is sleepy."

"Hush," I told them as Steven came into the room. He just looked at his mother.

"Is he-"

She held up her hand, not letting him get his question out. "Not now, Steven."

"Mom-"

"He's just upset." Karen shook her head before going back over to the table, reclaiming her seat. Absently, she reached over to pat Vinny on the head. "He's just stressed."

"He needs to go to sleep," Vinny told her, nodding his head. "Thisbe and I 'cided."

"Eat your dinner, Vinny," she said, shaking her head slightly. "Then you and Thisbe need to go to bed. Baths in the morning. I'm too tired to worry about that now."

"You're sleepy too?" Thisbe asked her.

"Yes."

"Did you miss naptime?"

"No," Karen told them, sighing again. "It's just been a late night, kids, that's all."

"They can come home with me, Karen," I said. "Really."

"It's fine. They're just going to go to sleep, yes?" She posed the question to the kids who both smiled at her, like little angels. The little devils…

"Yes, Granny," Vinny said, smiling at her. "Me and Thisbe will sleep all night. And you ain't even gotta read us a story or nothing."

"I don't?"

"Nope."

"Well, I want to read you a story," she said. "Now, are you both done?"

I stuck around to help Karen put them to bed, knowing that she was preoccupied with her husband's little outburst more than anything. After she had read them some little kid version of a bible story, Karen left the kids alone, snuggled up in Vinny's bed. I stayed though, staring down at them.

"Did you want to sleep with us, Auden?" Vinny asked me innocently, scooting away from my sister some; I think to give me space. "You can."

"Yeah," Thisbe said, smiling up at me. "You can."

"No, guys, I don't think so," I said, smiling back at them. "I'm going to go home. I'm sure Eli's waiting for me."

"Will you come by tomorrow?"

"I'm sure we'll see each other," I told Thisbe. "We always do."

"I love you, Auden," she told me back.

"I love you guys too," I told them. "Goodnight."

"G'night," Vinny told me with a giggle. "Goodnight, baby."

"Goodnight, Auden," Thisbe echoed. "Night, baby."

As I turned to leave the room, Joseph was heading in. He didn't even look at me and part of me was afraid that he was going in there to finish his yelling streak, this time at the kids.

"Grandpa," Vinny called out as he came into the room. I was out the door at that point, but as it was open, I could still hear them. "Hi."

"Hi, kids."

"You need to go to sleep," Thisbe told him. "That's how come you're so grouchy."

"You're a bear."

"I'm a bear?" he repeated his grandson's words.

"Mmmhmm," Thisbe agreed. "Rawr."

The kids broke out into giggles then as Joseph roared back at them, it obvious from the way that they were laughing that he was tickling them as well. They liked that, when Joseph ticked them. He was a fun grandfather if he was anything. And he'd give up anything for his grandchildren. Even his happiness.

* * *

"You're drunk."

"Mmmm."

I sighed, opening the front door further, Clyde walking into the house as he supported my boyfriend.

"You'd think he'd learn to hold his liquor," Clyde told me as he led him over to the couch.

"The bedroom," I corrected, rubbing a hand over my stomach. "Take him to the bedroom."

"You sure?" Clyde glanced back at me as I shut the front door.

"Definitely."

"Where are you going to sleep?"

"I have to be near him, in case he, like, chokes on his vomit."

"I am _not_ that drunk," Eli told me with convection, almost tripping over his own feet and slamming his face against the wall. Thank God he didn't do that. Seriously.

"Yeah, yeah," I sighed, following them into the bedroom. "I can't believe you, Clyde."

"Me?"

"Yeah, you. He was coming home to me after the beach and then you-"

"I seriously needed him at the shop," he defended. "And then he went out drinking with Wallace. You're lucky I went and got him, over here blaming me for shit. He's your boyfriend."

Clyde literally shoved him down onto the bed when he got to it. Eli just laid there, motionless for awhile before groaning and rolling onto his back.

"I didn't mean to make you upset," I told him softly, staring at Eli who just curled up on his side, whining. "I'm just tired of this."

Clyde let out a soft sigh before looking at me, standing there with my arms crossed, looking less than thrilled. "Do you need something, Auden?"

I just shook my head then, staring down at my boyfriend. "I shouldn't of come."

"What do you mean?"

Shrugging slightly, I said, "It's always something here. It's…stressful."

"Mmmm," Eli groaned, opening his eyes then. "Aud, water. Now."

Clyde shook his head at his friend before taking a step towards me. Clyde had always been extremely nice to me. Always. Everyone else in Colby always thought I was the bad one in the relationship, poor Eli for having to put up with me. All Eli's friends thought I was just a bitch. And maybe I am, but Eli's no better.

The only one that had ever really liked me, honestly liked me, was Clyde. And Adam, maybe, but mostly Clyde. I think this was mainly because he'd seen Eli at his worse, had seen him so drunk he couldn't stand, couldn't function. He had taken him home to me like that before and seen me take care of him. He knew for as bad as I might be to Eli at times, he's just as bad, if not worse back to me. He was the only one that seemed to get that.

"I have to go," Clyde told me then, resting a hand on my shoulder. "Did you…"

"Did I what?"

"Did you want to come with me?"

Turning my head up, I stared into his eyes. "What?"

"I'm going home," he told me. "You don't need to be around him, not like this. You're pregnant."

I made a soft noise, glancing back at my boyfriend. "Someone has to take care of him."

"Someone," Clyde agreed. "But not you."

"Gotta get my own damn water then?" Eli tried to push himself up around that time, about couldn't accomplish the task and gave up, laying flat on his back.

"You're going to sleep in bed with that?" Clyde asked me, shaking his head again.

"Everyday of my life."

"It's your choice, sweetness," he said then, sighing as he turned to leave the room. "You call me if he gets too bad."

"'kay."

"Take care."

"You too."

After he left, I went and got Eli a drink before climbing back into bed, where I had been when Clyde showed up. Eli had fallen into a restless sleep, mumbling under his breath the whole time. I just laid next to him for awhile, watching.

Did I really want to bring a baby into this?

* * *

"Come on. Get up. You're going to be late."

Eli groaned as I shoved his shoulder. "No. Go away. I'm sick."

"It's not at the bike shop today, Eli. It's at Fry King. You have to go."

"No. I'm sick."

"You're not sick. You got drunk last night. You need to get up now though. I mean it."

It took me nearly an hour to get Eli ready. He whined and complained the whole time about how he just waned to quit his job and all that. When I told him that we needed the money, for the baby, he asked why I didn't have to work two jobs, why I just waitress on the side while going to school. He wanted to know why that was fair.

"Because, Eli," I told him then as he stood at the sink, brushing his teeth halfheartedly. "When I graduate, I'm going to get a really good job. And me and the baby are going to go live far away, wherever the job is. And you can come, but only if you help me get through this. Because if you don't, I'll just go now."

He spit in the sink before staring up at me in the mirror, our eyes locking. He looked terrible, but I'm sure he looked that way a lot when going into work. It's not like I was expecting this job to last much longer, I'm not stupid; I'm just going to have him milk it for all its worth.

"You're a bitch."

I cocked my head to the side, still looking at him in the mirror. "And you're no better."

He let out a slow breath before turning the sink on, cupping his hand under the faucet before splashing his face. He got water everywhere in the process, but I figured I needed to clean the bathroom soon anyways.

"I'll drive you," I mumbled as he turned to leave the room and get dressed. At the moment, he was only in a pair of jeans. "You have to hurry. Do you want me to go make you a hotdog? Microwave one or whatever?"

Eli just ignored me as he went around the bedroom, getting ready. He was angry at me, 'cause you know, I was actually making him be responsible, making him help out some. I mean, God, it's not like I don't work too or don't go to school full time. Eli's older than _me_. He's the one that would already be graduated had he stayed with it. Instead he decided to stay at the same, meaningless job he's always had and work on bikes. Well, guess what? That won't take care of a baby all by itself. It just won't.

The whole drive down to the fast food place was silent. Eli just sat in the passenger side, not speaking at all. Which was fine. I didn't really want to speak with him either. He was just a jerk. He would always be a jerk. He was-

"Do not start crying."

I sniffled, not looking at him. "I'm not a bitch."

"I know."

"And I'm not making you go to work because I hate you or something. I'm not making you go because we need this money or I need this money, but because our baby does. He needs parents that can take care of him. You know that."

"I know."

"Okay then."

After dropping Eli off, I headed over to the Stocks. It was almost ten and I knew they'd be up. I wanted to take the kids from them, as Joseph had been in such a sour mood the day before. I figured giving them a break would cure that right up.

When I showed up at the house, Steven was just heading out to work. He was heading out the door as I walked up the porch. Though he didn't say anything, he held the door open for me and let me get inside before closing it. That was about the closest I'd ever get to kindness from him.

"Auden!"

I smiled as I came into the kitchen, the kids both in there helping Joseph make breakfast. Karen was nowhere to be found, but her car had been missing from the driveway and I assumed she went out.

"Hi," I said as Thisbe jumped down from the chair she had been standing on to rush over and hug me. She and Vinny had been standing on chairs to see the top of the counters.

"We're makin' omelets," Thisbe told me as Joseph glanced behind him at me. "Do you want one?"

"No, I-"

"You haven't eaten, have you?" Joseph didn't give me a chance to answer. "Do you like bell peppers? And ham?"

"Really, Joseph, I-"

"No onions, huh?" he asked before nodding at Vinny, who was mixing a bowl of eggs he had put in front of him. "Auden doesn't like onions."

"They're nasty," he agreed as he reached over to the other bowls in front of him. I could see ham, cheese, onions, bell peppers, and a few other things in them, no doubt meant to go in the bowls.

"No." Thisbe let me go before rushing to get back on her chair. I just rolled my eyes, heading further into the kitchen.

"I just came to get the kids," I told Joseph. "I didn't know you guys just got up."

"We didn't just get up," Vinny told me, frowning as he looked over. "We was watchin' cartoons before."

"So I guess Karen's been gone all morning then?" I asked, knowing there was no way that would have flown with her in the house.

"She had something to do with her friends," Joseph said, shaking his head. Not to mention, I'm sure, she wanted to get far away from her husband. "Shopping or eating or…I don't know. I didn't ask."

"Ms. Karen said she'd be home at three and that we should be ready to clean," Thisbe told me.

"Clean?"

"Uh-huh," Vinny said as he nodded his head. "We gotta help Granny clean the house."

"Really now."

"Yep."

"Well," I said slowly. "You both are very good at helping, I suppose."

"We are," Thisbe told me.

"I mean, you're practically making those omelets all by yourselves."

"Practice-ly," Thisbe agreed to the best of her ability.

"Practically," I corrected.

"That's what I said!"

Joseph grinned over at me then, seeming suddenly happy now that his wife wasn't the topic of discussion. "Where's Eli today, Auden?"

"Working," I told him, deciding to leave out the fight it took to get him there. "At Fry King."

"Ah."

"Eli's a good working," Thisbe said then, nodding her head. "Very good."

"Is he?" Joseph asked her.

"Of course. He's the greatest everything."

Right. He was the greatest drinking, the greatest slacker, the greatest worst boyfriend…

"Well, if you're keeping the kids then, I guess I had better go."

"Not 'fore your omelet, Auden," Vinny said then. "We're making it for you, after all."

It wasn't until we were all seated at the kitchen table that anything interesting happened. And even then, it was just that I got a text from Maggie telling me that my brother had asked her out on a date and she wanted my permission on whether or not to go on it. I was still staring at the screen, slightly peeved, when Joseph spoke to me.

"Something wrong, Auden?"

"No," I told him, looking up as I pocketed my phone without sending a reply. I mean seriously? I thought I had made it pretty clear to both her and Hollis that I wasn't cool with this. In fact, I'm certain that I made that clear. So what was wrong with them?

"Do you not like your omelet?" Thisbe asked, frowning slightly at the thought.

"No, it's not that," I told her as Vinny started whining about not having any orange juice. Standing to get him some, I said, "Maggie just texted me, that's all."

"I like Maggie," my half-sister told me as I grabbed Vinny's cup to refill it.

"I don't," he grumbled, shaking his head.

"Do you even know her?" I asked, glancing at him.

"Yes!"

"Don't yell, Vinny," his grandfather corrected, shaking his head slightly. "And yes, you do like her."

"Do not."

"You don't dislike anyone."

"Do too."

"Did Jesus dislike anyone?"

"I ain't Jesus."

"Believe me, we all know," his grandfather said with a sigh. Thisbe giggled at this, but her friend didn't seem to find it very funny.

"Regardless, Vinny, I highly doubt your opinion of her effects Maggie's day to day life," I told him as I sat the glass in front of him.

"Bet it does."

"Then you would lose that bet," I assured him with a shake of my head.

After breakfast, I stuck around to help clean up the dishes, though Joseph told me I didn't have to, before leaving the children with him and setting off back to the apartment. I figured I could clean up some there if the children were getting stuck cleaning the Stock house. It was only fair, after all.

I was busy doing that when I got another text. Again, from Maggie, but again, I ignored it. She was starting to get on my nerves, honestly. If she wasn't' careful, I might just turn into Vinny and hate her as much as he does. For whatever reason he does.

Around two, I had finished up cleaning and decided to sit down to watch some TV…only to find that the bill had gone unpaid and we had no television. You know, because my life sucks. I honestly have no idea why I continue going to Colby so frequently; Ir eally got nothing out of the trips other than random life lessons about how much it sucks to be married as long as Karen and Joseph and how much my ex-stepmother sleeps around and doesn't get pregnant, but I constantly seem to. Not sure those are such valuable lessons that I couldn't have gone without learning them.

So, seeing as I had so much time on my hands, I decided that I should do a little shopping. I had neglected to tell Eli that I hadn't yet spent the $300 from my mother for fear he would want some of it. It was a good time to go ahead and look at some of that baby stuff, I figured.

First though, I went to Heidi's shop for her help. I hadn't really shopped much before Clayton was born. This was mainly due to the fact that I never got very far into my pregnancy. Not to mention, I didn't have any money to, as my mother wasn't so forthcoming with her cash back then. Now though, would be a good time to get educated in the art of baby buying.

…God, that sounded so wrong.

"Oh, yes," Heidi literally squealed, giving a slight little jump as well. "I'll go shopping with you right now."

I had only just walked into Clementine's to find it relatively busy. All I had asked Heidi was where she thought I should start with the $300 and she went crazy on me. Ugh.

"Heidi," I said as a few of her customers turned to look at us. "Aren't you kinda busy?"

"Oh, Maddie has the counter under control," she said, nodding over at the teenaged girl standing behind the register. "I can spare and hour or two…or more."

I just stared. "I only have-"

"I know how much you have, Auden," she told me, still smiling brightly. "That's not a problem. I know exactly what we'll be getting."

"You do?"

"Well," she began. "For starters, the baby needs clothes. Do you have him any clothes?"

"Well, no."

"Not at all?"

"Karen told me that I could have any of the old stuff that she found in the attic if I-"

"He does not deserve reused clothing, Auden," she scolded before shaking her head. "What else do you have?"

"Maggie bought me a baby carrier at a garage sale."

"And?"

"And…" I thought hard even though I knew the answer. "That's it."

"That's it?"

"Well, what do you want me to say? What else would we have bought?"

"Did you get a crib yet?"

"No."

"And you don't have the one from…before?"

I shook my head. "Eli sold all that stuff."

"I thought he was-"

"It got too…costly."

"You two do realize that I was the one who gave you that crib, right?"

"Well-"

Groaning, she turned to look over at the blonde behind the counter. "You have this, right, Maddie?"

"Huh?" The girl looked over from a customer at us, seeming confused.

"See?" Heidi smiled at me. "She has this."

And that's how I ended up spending my whole afternoon with Heidi. Yep.

* * *

"You sleeping, baby?"

I just laid there on the couch, not moving. "You didn't pay the TV bill."

"Sorry." Eli closed the front door behind him. "Was there something you were hoping to see?"

"You didn't pay the bill so I went to see Heidi, only to get drug on a shopping trip." I kept my eyes closed as I laid there. "I hate you."

He grunted, walking further into the dark living room. "You clean? Smells nice."

"The reason I buy you air fresheners is for you to use them."

"I do," he defended. "When I take a shit, I spray. God, what more do you want from me?"

"Gee, I wonder."

"You did the kitchen too?"

"I'm glad you noticed," I mumbled, pushing myself up as he headed in there, no doubt in search of some food.

"Well, yeah, Auden. All those dishes are gone."

"Yeah, about that. You and Jake are not just going to be waiting around for me to show up to do the dishes. That's not going to fly anymore."

"Fly?" He snickered. "I love it when you try to sound cool."

Rolling my eyes, I stood finally, my back protesting this as I went to follow him. "What are you making?"

"Hotdogs. Duh."

"We have got to start buying more food."

"Like?"

"Like, I dunno, ice cream."

He glanced at me in the darkness before going over to the fridge. When he opened it, the sudden brightness that sprung forth from it made me squint.

"Ice cream."

"Well, yeah."

"You like ice cream?"

"I always have."

"Then I'll get you some," he told me. "For now though, you want a hotdog?"

"Not really."

Grunting, he closed the fridge before taking the pack of hotdogs over to the stove. "Get me the pot."

After doing so, I said, "I'm actually not really that tired."

"So?"

"So, did you want to do something tonight?"

"No."

"Eli-"

"Aud, I'm fucking tired, alright?"

I shook my head. "I leave tomorrow."

"All the more reason for you to get your sleep, yes?"

"No."

"You're impossible to talk to."

Making a face at him, I headed out of the kitchen, arms crossed over my chest as I went. When I got to the bedroom, I just changed before getting into bed. If he wanted to sleep, fine. We'd sleep. Stupid jerk.

Eli joined me some time later, a plate of hotdogs with him. Ignoring me, he dropped his jeans and stripped off his shirt before joining me.

"Sure you don't want some?"

"Shut up, Eli."

"I don't get why you're so upset with me."

"Because ever weekend is the fucking same," I told him, opening my eyes just to stare up at the ceiling. "I spend time with your family and my sister, then you get drunk, we argue, you work, I'm bored, and then I go home. And maybe, if you're not drunk enough, I might have to have sex with you somewhere in there. Maybe. But other than that, nothing ever changes."

He frowned at me in the darkness. "You have to have sex with me?"

"You know what I mean."

"No, I don't think I do. It's not forced upon you."

"When I don't see you for a week or more at a time, Eli, yeah, it kind of is."

"How so?"

"You're down here in, like, party town central with all these hot chicks coming in and out constantly."

"And?"

"I'm not, okay? I'm not super hot or whatever. And if I'm not giving you sex, who is?"

He groaned. "Let me go get a beer before we have this conversation. I'm not-"

"Shut up, Eli. God, can you ever be serious?"

"Is this serious, Auden? Is it?" He took a bite of a hotdog, chewing angrily for a moment before speaking. "I'm about tired of this cheating on you crap. Did I sleep with you the first time I met you? No. I didn't. So why the hell do you think I would be sleeping with all these other random women? Huh?"

"You're drunk now, Eli. Constantly. And-"

"And I'm always with your little boyfriend to keep me in check."

"My little what?"

"Clyde," he said, saying his name slowly and with clear disdain.

"What does that even mean? What are you-"

"I see the two of you," he said, his tone an accusation from the get go. "Talking and laughing and spending time together."

"Spending time together," I said slowly. "You mean when you send me to go do your laundry while you're at work? Other than that, I never see him. Unless, like you're drunk and he brings you home."

"He calls you sweetie and hugs you and touches you."

"You're fucking psycho."

"Then he asked you to spend the night with him last night."

I frowned. "You heard that?"

"I was right here, Auden!"

"You were drunk. I thought-"

"I heard him."

"He was just being nice," I told Eli, rolling my eyes. "Clyde is, like, thirty something. He's ten years older than me. I'm-"

"I'm four years older than."

"So? Ten is a lot, Eli."

"Whatever. You just-"

"I'm not having sex with Clyde and you know it. You're just trying to change the subject."

"How do I know it, huh? You're always _so bored_ here. What keeps you from just fucking him for fun?"

"And what keeps you from doing the same? All these…hot women-"

"What hot women, Auden? I spend all day at the bike shop and the only woman there is Brooke. And, like, ew, so-"

"Oh, whatever. You'd have sex with her. You know she would. You'd freaking-"

"I'd what, Auden? Have sex with her? She's, like, nineteen. I'm twenty-seven, baby. I'm about to be twenty-eight. So calm the fuck down-"

"Don't tell me the calm down. You're the one saying that I'm sleeping with Clyde."

"For good reason. He's clearly into you."

"He is not."

"He totally is, Auden. He wants you so bad. I bet it's why he gets me drunk all the time. So that he can make me seem bad."

"He gets you drunk."

"He gets me drunk."

"Are you drunk right now? Because you have to be to actually believe that," I said. "Clyde's the only one that's ever given you a chance. An more chances. And even more chances. Without him you'd-"

"See? You think he's some kind of, like, god or something."

"Eli, you can't be serious."

"You're my girlfriend, Auden. And he's, like always, hitting on you or whatever and it's-"

"God, Eli, one person is nice to me. One person out of the hundreds of friends you have actually likes me, actually wants me to do good for myself and it has to be because he wants to sleep with me? Seriously?"

"…Yes."

"You're so stupid." I shoved him then, frowning. "Like seriously."

"Don't push me." He shoved me then, frowning. "You're the one that-"

"Don't push me, Eli."

"I'll push you if I fucking want to push you."

I shoved him again before getting out of bed. "Whatever. I'm out of here."

He groaned. "Just lay down, Auden, and go to sleep. You make everything so dramatic."

"Fuck you, Eli."

"Whatever. The one night I don't drink and try to spend some time with you, you flip out on me! I don't know what the hell you even want me to do anymore."

"I don't either," I told him as I went to get dressed again before putting on my shoes. "I don't think this working out, Eli."

"Damn straight."

"And I'm only getting closer to giving birth," I went on, ignoring him then. "Maybe coming down here so much is a bad idea."

"Wait, what?"

Shaking my head, I moved to leave the room. "I don't know what to do anymore, Eli, other than stay away from Colby for awhile."

"You can't-"

"If you want to see me, you can come up and see me. And if you don't, then that's fine. I have Maggie, I have my brother, I have my mother. I don't need you. And I don't need this."

"Auden, knock off," he said, trying to be dismissive, but his tone betraying his inner thoughts. "Come back. I…I'm sorry, okay? Come lay down."

"No, Eli. I'm-"

"It's late and you're not leaving." He sat his plate on the bed before jumping up and coming over to me. "You hear me? It's too late for you to be out alone. Come lay down and go to sleep. I'll sleep on the fucking couch if you want, but just lay down. You're alright."

I shrugged him off when he placed a hand on my shoulder. "I hate this, Eli. This is how all our fights end."

"It's not over, baby." When I wouldn't let him touch me, he moved closer so that he was pressed against my arm, staring down at me. "It's just taking a break from the fight. We can fight tomorrow or Monday or something. Right now though, you're going to lay down and sleep. Or get on the laptop. Whatever. Just…calm down. It's not good for the baby."

"You're not good for the baby."

"Maybe not," he agreed after a moment. Kissing my neck, he said, "But he's still my baby. You get that, right? There's no more silly breakups, Aud. That baby's just as much mine as he is yours. That's just fact. We're going to be together, dating or not."

I just stood there, arms crossed, as he placed more kisses to my neck. Slowly, he wrapped his arm around me, smiling against my flesh.

"God, I love you," he breathed softly. "So much. It hurts, baby. I hurt. We both hurt. And I don't mean for us to. You know that. I just…sometimes things go wrong with what I say or do. I don't mean to hurt you so much. You know that."

"Eli…"

"Mmmm. Come lay down with me, Aud." He moved a hand to my stomach, stroking slightly. "Please."

Letting out a slow breath, I turned my head to the side to look at up him. "I am not into Clyde. And he's not into me."

"Okay." He kissed my forehead then. "Okay."

Slowly, I let him lead me back over to the bed, where he sat his food to the side before focusing in on me again.

"I love you," he whispered, slipping his hands under my shirt to rest them flat against my stomach. "And I love my baby."

"Your baby needs a name."

"I-"

"One that we both agree on."

He held my gaze for a moment. "What kind of names were you thinking about?"

"I like Jason."

"Jason."

"Or David."

"I know a David that's a dick, so no."

"Or Max."

"Max. I like Max."

"Do you?"

He kissed my nose. "I do."

"Or Chris."

"Chris. I've known a lot of people with that name."

"Me too."

He smiled at me and I knew what he was asking with it. Were we okay again? No. But we were on even ground. A level playing field.

"I love you."

Eli laughed slightly. "I love you too. And Max."

"Mmmm…now that you've said it, I don't like it."

He shifted on the bed, keeping on hand against my stomach, so that he was laying on flat on his side. "You don't?"

"No. What about Jamie?"

"I've known a Jamie. He was pretty cool."

"James."

"Yeah."

"Or," I said slowly. "We could name him Robert after-"

"Don't."

"Eli-"

"You know as well as I do that your dad does not need a bigger ego boost."

Smiling, I nodded slightly. "You're right."

"What about Luke?"

"Ew."

"Mathew?"

"No."

"Harry?"

"Surely not."

"Surely not," he mimicked, laughing slightly.

"Gary?"

"No," he told me with a slight shake of his head.

"Uh, Will?"

"Nope."

"Albert?"

"Ew."

"Hector?"

"No."

"Jackson?"

"Maybe."

"Shawn?"

"Shawn," he repeated slowly. "Yeah, maybe."

"Victor?"

He stared into my eyes. "If there's one person that needs less of a boost than your father, it's for sure your mother."

"Victor and Victoria."

"No."

"Vic."

"Yes," Eli said suddenly. Frowning, I looked up at him.

"What?"

"Yes."

"Are you-"

"See? I knew if I said yes that you'd freak out." He patted my stomach gently. "You want that name even less than me."

"Maybe," I agreed, closing my eyes. "It would forever win us a place in my mother's heart though."

"She already gives us free money," he pointed out. "What the hell else would we need?"

"A lot," I sighed as I rolled onto my side to snuggle into his side. A whole lot.


End file.
